Piles: Causes, Symptoms and Ayurvedic Treatment

Many people irrespective of age today are prone to piles due to changes in their lifestyle and eating schedules. Consumption of junk food also causes digestive problems in people. Another factor called stress even takes a toll on digestion and irritates bowel movements. If this issue is neglected, it gets aggravated and results in piles also known as haemorrhoids. This health problem results in swollen veins around the anus or rectum. This turns chronic when is swollen and inflamed. The swollen veins will stretch and irritate when passing a bowel movement. The pain is unbearable and people could not sit properly due to this problem.

The piles’ problem is experienced by people for a short or long duration. However, the risk of being susceptible to this health ailment is high with age, since the tissues that support the rectum and anus turn weak. Medical care is required immediately to fight health issues.

Piles are classified into the following types:

Internal haemorrhoids

• Primary degree – There can be bleeding in stools, but the piles or swollen veins do not come out of the anus
• Secondary degree- Come out of the anus when passing bowel movements and will go inside later.
• Third degree- Come out and have to push them to go inside.
• Fourth degree- Partly outside and will not go inside, thus causing severe pain.

External haemorrhoids (piles) – Swelling develops around the anus and causes pain while doing the bowel movement and blood clotting near the anal area.

Why piles are caused according to the Ayurvedic approach?

Ayurvedic for piles is called Aarsha caused due to poor lifestyle and eating habits. As a result, the three doshas such as Vata, pitta and Kapha will get disturbed causing vitiation. Due to these doshas, a lot of toxins is accumulated in the digestive tract and obstruct channels. All these result in the formation of swelling around the anus.

Various causes of piles

Few of the reasons that cause piles:

Excess strain while passing bowel movements

There is a lot of strain put on veins around the anus resulting in swelling and inflammation. This makes it difficult and painful to pass stools.

Constipation problem

Constipation is causing piles and fissures. When this problem is aggravated, you have to put a lot of force to pass and empty the bowel

Increase in weight

Obesity is associated with many health problems. People who are obese have constipation problem, which eventually develops piles.

Heavy lifting

Lifting also puts a lot of pressure on the pelvic and anal area, thus resulting in swelling of veins around the anal area. It results in piles and sometimes bowel incontinence.

Low-fibre diet

Taking a diet that is not rich in fibre results in turning the intestine lining hard. When there is no lubrication, passing stools become strained, thus resulting in piles or fissures.

Consuming spicy food

Eating spicy food every day can cause piles and worsen the condition. When you consume spicy food, it irritates you while passing bowel movements and causes extreme pain and discomfort.

Symptoms of Piles

Following are the symptoms observed in people who have piles:

• Bleeding in the stool is a common symptom. In many cases, the haemorrhoids are pushed back after passing stools, but in severe cases, they remain outside.
• Red rectal bleeding during or after the bowel movement
• Blood covering the stools
• Itchiness around the anus or faecal incontinence
• Mucous discharge
• Cracked skin around the anus
• Skin sag near fissures

Various ayurvedic treatments to treat piles

Following are a few ayurvedic treatments for piles:

Sitz bath or Avagaha Swedam

People suffering from piles are made to sit in warm decoctions to reduce the swelling around the anal area briskly. We at Jivaasri offer the best and proven ayurvedic treatment for piles and all our therapies are proven to help patients get rid of this painful problem in no time.

Kshara soothram

It is an ideal therapy that is followed in Ayurveda to treat piles. It is a surgical procedure wherein alkaline thread is used to treat fistula and haemorrhoids. The thread used in this treatment would be made of medicated herbs.

Cauterization or Agni karma

It is also a para-surgical procedure followed in Ayurveda where heat is applied around the haemorrhoid to cauterize the area.

Different medicines used to treat piles in Ayurveda

The Ayurveda approach can help you treat and get rid of piles. It balances all three doshas and helps you maintain overall health.

Touch-me-not plant

It has a lot of medicinal properties to treat piles. The plant has a chemical known as alkaloid mimosine that will reduce pain and fight inflammation. You can also make the paste from leaves and apply it to the affected area. There are also capsules and herbs available to provide instant relief.

Triphala

It is a mix of three different types of herbs as Amalaki, Bhibhitaki and Haritaki. These are excellent for treating constipation problems. When you have a smooth bowel movement, it automatically reduces the pain around the anal area.

Guggul

It is power-packed with anti-inflammatory properties. Eating them will reduce inflammation and help you manage the concerns related to hemorrhoidal. It also provides you quick relief from piles. The astringent properties present will also metabolize bioactive etiologic components related to haemorrhoids. It also helps you get rid of toxins in the body and promotes smoother digestion.

Turmeric

It is also considered to be one of the home remedies to treat piles. Due to its rich medicinal benefits, you can use this to treat and manage piles. The anti-inflammatory properties present will reduce microbial infection and manage to bleed. It also reduces itchiness around the anus. The alkaline nature of turmeric will shrink haemorrhoids and improve digestive fire.

Holistic approaches to reduce piles

Take nutritious diet

The job of the digestive system starts with the food you take and flush out the waste. You can get rid of the health ailments that are caused due to poor digestion such as piles by maintaining a healthy digestive system. This is possible by avoiding salty and junk food. You can also have to say goodbye to the foods such as red meat, chocolate, candies and coffee and start to take food rich in fibre such as beans, lentils, whole fruits and vegetables. Stay hydrated by drinking a lot of water.

Exercise regularly

You can carry out different types of workouts to get rid of digestive concerns and problems due to bowel movements. A sedentary lifestyle is what hinders bowel movements and crops up piles. Doing a lot of physical activity every day will let you pass stools comfortably.

Conclusion

When you are bleeding on the toilet seat, it could be certainly piles. You have to get the right treatment blend with holistic approaches such as proper diet and exercises to reap miraculous results. We at Jivaasri offer piles treatments using the best ayurvedic treatments and medicines. We have experienced ayurvedic practitioners who can treat this problem and balance the three doshas due to which piles have cropped up.