Piles

Symptoms of piles

Piles, also known as haemorrhoids, are swellings containing enlarged blood vessels inside or around your bottom (the rectum and anus).

Anyone can get piles - they don't just happen in pregnancy.

Symptoms of piles can include:

• itching, aching, soreness or swelling around your anus
• pain when passing a stool (faeces, poo) and a mucus discharge afterwards
• a lump hanging outside the anus
• bleeding after passing a stool - the blood is usually bright red

How to ease piles

Constipation can cause piles. If this is the cause, try to keep your stools soft and regular by eating plenty of food that's high in fibre.

This includes:

• wholemeal bread
• fruit
• vegetables

Drinking plenty of water can help, too.

Find out more about a healthy diet in pregnancy.

Other things you can try include:

• avoid standing or sitting for long periods
• take regular exercise to help relieve constipation
• use a cloth wrung out in iced water to ease the pain - hold it gently against the piles
• avoid straining to pass a stool, as this may make your piles worse
• after passing a stool, clean your anus with moist toilet paper instead of dry toilet paper
• pat, rather than rub, the area

There are medicines that can help soothe the inflammation around your anus. These treat the symptoms, but not the cause, of piles.

Ask your doctor, midwife or pharmacist if they can suggest a suitable treatment to help soothe the area. Don't use a cream or medicine without checking with them first.

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