Piles (haemorrhoids) are lumps inside and around your bottom (anus). They often get better on their own after a few days. There are things you can do to treat and prevent piles.
Symptoms of piles include:
They can be small lumps, around the size of a pea.
They can be pink or purple.
drink lots of fluid and eat plenty of fibre to keep your poo soft
wipe your bottom with damp toilet paper
take paracetamol if piles hurt
take a warm bath to ease itching and pain
use an ice pack wrapped in a towel to ease discomfort
gently push a pile back inside
keep your bottom clean and dry
exercise regularly
cut down on alcohol and caffeine (like tea, coffee and cola) to avoid constipation
A pharmacist can suggest:
Many pharmacies have private areas if you do not want to be overheard.
The GP may prescribe stronger medicines for piles or constipation. They may also check your symptoms are not being caused by something else.
You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.
If there's no improvement to your piles after home treatments, you may need hospital treatment.
Talk to your doctor about the best treatment for you. Treatment does not always prevent piles coming back.
Common hospital treatments include:
You'll be awake for this type of treatment, but the area will be numbed.
You should be able to go home on the same day.
If these treatments do not work, you may need surgery to remove your piles.
Surgical treatments include:
You'll usually need to be asleep for this type of treatment and may need to stay in hospital for more than 1 day.
Piles are swollen blood vessels. It's not clear what causes them.
Things that make piles more likely: