The symptoms of haemorrhoids often clear up on their own or with simple treatments that can be bought from a pharmacy without a prescription (see below). However, speak to your GP if your symptoms don't get better or if you experience pain or bleeding.
Ice packs or cold compresses: Applying cold compresses to the affected region helps ease pain and swelling. Fiber supplements: Consuming supplements such as psyllium (Metamucil) and methylcellulose (Citrucel) reduces constipation and helps relieve the pain of hemorrhoids.
Unfortunately, for those wondering how long hemorrhoids last, there is no set timeline for when they clear up. Most of the time, symptoms go away after a few days, even without treatment. However, if symptoms do not improve after a week of home care, you should speak with your doctor.
A warm bath can work well in soothing the inflamed haemorrhoids. You can take a sitz bath, which is a small plastic tub that fits over a toilet seat or take a full-body bath in a tub. Studies show that taking a warm bath for 15-20 minutes after a bowel movement is most effective to reduce pain.
Drinking a lot of fluid and a fibre-rich diet, a warm bath to soothe itching and pain, applying topical ointments prescribed by a doctor, exercising and keeping the bottom area dry will all act as a catalyst to help you relieve piles faster. It is important to consult a doctor and follow the treatment advised.
Any ailment if ignored and left untreated can lead to serious health problems. Similarly, piles if left untreated can lead to certain complications that can be extremely painful. Therefore, it is important that you get a timely treatment right from the early stage of piles to avoid the condition from degrading further.
One of the main causes of piles is straining when you go to the toilet, which may happen if you have constipation or long-lasting diarrhoea. Your anal canal weakens with age, which can also make piles more likely. Other things that can lead to piles include having a persistent cough and if you lift heavy objects.
Ignoring symptoms of constipation or diarrhea
The other extreme, which is diarrhea, can also aggravate your piles and worsen the symptoms. If you have been suffering from loose motions or difficulty in passing bowel movements, make a food diary.
How does a banana work for piles? Banana is a natural laxative that treats constipation. During piles, the first thing that you would want to avoid is pain and discomfort while passing stool. Bananas not just add bulk to your stool but also act as stool softeners to aid in the smooth passage.
This strengthens supportive tissue (to help prevent flare-ups) and delivers nutrients and oxygen to inflamed areas (to help relieve flare-ups). Moderate physical activity, such as brisk walking 20 minutes a day, can stimulate bowel function* as well as enhance blood flow and muscle tone.
Best At-Home Treatments
Epsom salts or baking soda can be added to reduce inflammation. Aloe vera gel, vitamin E oil, and coconut oil: These natural remedies are applied to the skin and can help soothe and shrink minor hemorrhoids.
Avoid a sedentary lifestyle — don't remain seated for long periods: Inactivity puts more pressure on the blood vessels around the anal area, especially if you are overweight. Avoid lifting heavy objects: This can put extra pressure on the clots in external hemorrhoids.
Anusol™ Cream
This piles Cream helps to relieve symptoms including itching and swelling, and is ideal for shrinking less severe piles. It's also anti-bacterial, helping to protect against the growth of bacteria.
Prolapsed hemorrhoids often stretch down until they swell outside the anus. It may shrink back inside the rectum on its own, or you can gently push it back inside.
Grade II: The piles may prolapse from the anus but return inside independently. Grade III: The piles prolapse and only recede within the anus with manual intervention. Grade IV: The piles prolapse outside of the anus and a person cannot push them back in.
Dairy products on their own do not cause constipation, but it can contribute towards causing discomfort and pain during haemorrhoid outbreaks. Many people recommend the intake of yogurt for piles. Yogurt is rich in beneficial bacteria that help improve digestion and thus aid bowel movement.
Increasing water intake is an easy non-invasive treatment that is cheap and anyone can accomplish. Piles experts recommend at least 8 glasses of water intake in a day. Water has been advised to be one of the best dietary modifications for piles because it helps soften the stools.