Haemorrhoids

What are haemorrhoids?
Haemorrhoids or piles are a common problem in men and women of all ages.

What causes haemorrhoids?
Everyone has prominent blood vessels in the anal canal. Over time, these can become stretched and enlarged and develop into haemorrhoids. This may occur in a third of people during their lifetime. They often occur in people who are constipated and strain, though some sufferers will have normal bowel habit. They are sometimes a manifestation of a more general problem such as internal or external rectal prolapse.

What symptoms do haemorrhoids cause?
They can cause a number of symptoms including bleeding, prolapsing lumps (lumps that hang out from the anus either all the time or after opening of bowels) and itching.

How are they diagnosed?
The surgeon seeing you will assess your haemorrhoids and rule out other causes for your symptoms. Your symptoms and the grade of your haemorrhoids will define the best treatment for you.

How are haemorrhoids treated?
Early haemorrhoids can often be treated with dietary changes only. Banding involves placing rubber bands on the haemorrhoids as an out-patient procedure and works both by cutting off the blood vessels to the haemorrhoids and by fixing the haemorrhoids up in the anal canal. More advanced haemorrhoids, especially those that hang down from the anal canal, are often treated with surgery if the patient has symptoms. This may involve removal of the haemorrhoids (“haemorrhoidectomy”) or stapling (“stapled haemorrhoidectomy”, “stapled anopexy” or “PPH”). Stapled haemorrhoidectomy works by removing a ring of tissue from within the anal canal using a special stapling device, which hitches up the loose bowel lining and fixes it higher in the anal canal.