Piles Treatment with Homeopathy

What are Piles?

Piles, also known as haemorrhoids, are swollen or distended veins and muscle around anus or in anal canal. This is one of the so called surgical diseases where homoeopathy can successfully treat and reduce the use of scissors and give relief and many patients worldwide are enjoying the benefits of homoeopathy.  

Anal canal is a short, muscular tube with blood vessels that connects rectum with anus. Piles can develop when this tissue becomes swollen, possibly as a result of straining on the toilet. Sometimes, piles can be painful and bleed if they become damaged.

Anyone can get piles at any age, but they’re most common in people aged between 45 and 65. Piles are also common during and after pregnancy. They may develop due to changes in the hormones in the body and the increased pressure in abdomen. They usually get better once the baby is born.

Category of Piles:

Internal piles start inside anal canal, but they might hang down and so come out of anus.

• 1st degree piles may bleed but don’t come out of the anus.
• 2^nd degree piles come out of the anus during bowel movement, but go back inside on their own afterwards.
• 3^rd degree piles come out of anus and only go back inside when patients push them in.
• 4^th degree piles are always partly outside the anus and patient can’t push them back in. They may become very swollen and painful if the blood inside them clots.

External piles are swellings that develop further down the anal canal, closer to anus. They can be very painful, especially if they have a blood clot in them.

Main Symptoms of Piles:

Piles don’t always cause pain or other symptoms. Symptoms include:

• bleeding when patients has a bowel movement – patient may see blood on toilet paper or drips in the toilet or on the faeces
• a lump in or around the anus
• a slimy discharge of mucus from the anus, or leaking faeces
• a feeling that bowels haven’t emptied completely
• itchy or sore skin around anus
• pain and discomfort after a bowel movement (in case of external piles)

Diagnosis of Piles:

Doctor will ask about patient’s symptoms and examine the patient. Doctor will feel the rectum by gently inserting a gloved finger into anus. He may also use a proctoscope to look inside the rectum.
Further, patients may need to have a blood test to check if the patients have anaemia. This is a low number of red blood cells in the blood. Anaemia can be a sign that the patient has a more serious condition.
Based on the test results, more tests can be done to rule out other conditions, such as cancer.

Why do piles occur?

Piles may be due to:

• Chronic constipation
• Chronic diarrhea
• Lifting heavy weights
• Pregnancy
• Straining when passing a stool
• Inherited

Allopathic Treatment for Piles?

It is important to remember that allopathic medicines do not cure piles, they only treat the symptoms, reduce the discomfort and itching that many patients experience. A good doctor will initially recommend some lifestyle changes.

Diet - piles can be caused by too much straining when doing bowel movements, which is the result of constipation. A change in diet can help keep the stools regular and soft. This involves eating more fiber, such as fruit and vegetables, or switching the cereal breakfast to bran.

Water is the best drink, and the patient may be advised to increase water consumption. Experts suggest caffeine should be avoided.

Body weight - if the patient is obese, losing weight may help reduce the incidence and severity of hemorrhoids.

Ointments, creams, pads and other OTC medications - some of them contain witch hazel, hydrocortisone, or some other active ingredient which can relieve symptoms of itching and pain.

Corticosteroids - these can reduce inflammation and pain.

Painkillers - ask the pharmacist for suitable painkilling medications, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol).

Laxatives - the doctor may prescribe one if the patient suffers from constipation.

Banding - the doctor places an elastic band around the base of the pile inside the anus, cutting off its blood supply. After a few days the hemorrhoids fall off. This can work for grades 2 and 3 hemorrhoids.

Sclerotherapy - a medicine is injected to make the hemorrhoid shrink - the hemorrhoid eventually shrivels up. This is effective for grades 2 and 3 hemorrhoids, and is a useful alternative to banding.

Infrared coagulation - also referred to as infrared light coagulation. Used for grades 1 or 2 hemorrhoids. A device burns the hemorrhoid tissue.

Surgery - used for particularly large piles, or grades 3 or 4 hemorrhoids. Generally, surgery is used if other procedures were not effective.

Frequently Prescribed Homeopathic Medicines:  

§  Aesculus hippocastanum- is a frequently indicated remedy in piles. There is intense dryness and heat of rectum, sensation of knife like pain, as if full of small sticks, excessive burning in anus. But the main characteristic is that the piles are mostly non bleeding. There is severe backache and extremely irritability which is almost always associated.

§  Aloe socotrina- an wonderful remedy in plies, where the haemorrhoids look like a bunch of grapes, there is constant bearing down sensation, profuse bleeding, sore pain and heat which is relieved by cold water. There is intense itching and burning in anus which prevents sleep. Along with this other peculiar features of aloe like, poor sphincter control, excessive gas and stomach pain, diarrhea are to be searched.

§  Arsenicum album – haemorrhoidal pain is like stitching when walking or sitting but not peculiarly at stool. There is intense burning heat of rectum which is ameliorated by heat. There is extreme weakness and exhaustion in patient.

§  Collinsonia Canadensis – is an excellent medicine for piles in women. Haemorrhoids arising in latter months of pregnancy or delivery. Piles are chronic, painful and bleeding. It is associated with palpitation which often alternates with piles.

§  Hamamelis verginica – medicine most frequently comes in mind when the bleeding is excessive. There is burning, soreness, heaviness, anus feels raw, of bluish appearance and there is backache. There is tendency to haemorrhage from other orifices as well.

§  Ignatia – excellent for grade II or grade III piles. There is prolapse every time after stool which has to be replaced. There are sharp stitches in rectum, more when the stool is loose and remains for hours after stool. Prolapse is easy, even when stooping of lifting something. Mental symptoms of ignatia are to be noted.

§  Muriatic acid – piles in persons with great debility who become extremely exhausted from every attempt at stool. Haemorrhoids blue, swollen, extremely painful and sensitive. So sensitive and sore that even least touch of sheet is uncomfortable. Advance cases where prolapse is easy, even when trying to urinate. There is involuntary passage of stool when patient urinates.

§  Nitric acid – though usually used for piles, it is more popular when it is associated with fissure, as there is intense pain after stool, so painful so as to prevent sitting in chair. Strong smelling urine, peculiar mental irritability and night aggravation are to be matched always. It is a deep acting remedy in fact.

§  Nux vomica – almost exclusively effective for all kinds of piles. Overall Nux picture like the peculiar careless and high life style, lot of addictions, gastric troubles and excessive irritability are enough to select the remedy.

§  Ruta graveolens – for prolapsed grade II, III or IV piles. Prolapse is very easy, on attempting a passage, from slightest stooping, after pregnancy. More frequently indicated for colorectal carcinoma.

§  Sulphur – a deep acting and useful medicine used in many cases of piles when other remedies are not well responding. General indications of sulphur are more useful in selection rather than searching particular symptoms of piles.

§  Syphilinum – useful in piles with prolapse and fissure.  There is a positive syphilitic history, aggravation at night, extreme forgetfulness and an extra ordinary craving for alcohol which is often hereditary.

§  Thuja occidentalis – another useful medicine indicated in cases where there is swollen pile with fissure and excessive pain on sitting. Anus is often surrounded by flat warts.

There are 156 medicines to treat piles. A qualified and experienced Homeopath only knows which one best suits for individual patients. NEVER TREAT YOURSELF.

Other advice:

·        A healthy lifestyle

·        Lot of fibres in diet and minimum spices

·        Regular warm water bath will help patient a lot

·        Never strain at stool to clear your bowel.

·        Avoid laxatives

·        Regular Exercise.

Complications linked to piles

Anemia - hemorrhoids can sometimes cause long-term blood loss, which may lead to anemia.

Stangulated hemorrhoid - the blood supply to an internal hemorrhoid is cut off, causing severe pain, and even gangrene (death of tissue).

Dr. BM Benojir Ahmed

Consultant Homeopath

Cell: +8801733797252

Email: drbenojir@gmail.com