Okay, so you want to know how to get rid of piles. For many people, this is a painful and embarrassing condition, and it can be difficult to get rid of. Inside the anal canal, the lining contains three soft and spongy pads of tissue which function as seals to keep the anus closed until you have a bowel movement. This is because the lining of the intestines is extremely slimy, to allow feces to slide along it easily. The spongy pads in the anal canal keep the intestinal slime from leaking out.

Piles happen when one of these pads of tissue slips downwards slightly. Once this has happened, the blood vessels become full of blood and it swells up.

The main symptoms of piles are:

• aching pain and discomfort
• itching and irritation
• soiling of underwear with slime or faeces ('skid marks').
• a lump, which may be tender
• bleeding

How to Get Rid of Piles

The main treatments for piles are:

Banding - a rubber band is wrapped round the base of the pile. This stops the blood supply to it and it eventually dies.

Phenol Injection - this procedure is not as effective as banding, and isn't used as much these days.

Cryosurgery - freezing of the pile to kill it. The bad side effect of this procedure is a watery discharge. Hence, this procedure is not used very often these days.

Infrared Coagulation - this is where infrared light is used to kill the pile. Not as effective as other methods.

Surgery - there are a number of different surgical options. The usual method is simply to cut away the spongy pad which forms the pile. The pain lasts for about 7 to 10 days after the operation. However, there is now a newer procedure called "stapling. This involves cutting off a 2cm section of the rectum lining and joining together the cut edges with a special type of stapler. Recovery from this kind of operation is quick compared with the traditional form of surgery.

Other Things You Can Do

• Wash the anal area gently with salty warm water. This helps get rid of any irritant mucus that may have leaked out. Carefully dry with a piece of cotton wool and apply some petroleum jelly to soften and protect the skin.
• Use a soft type of toilet tissue, and dab gently rather than wiping.
• Avoid wearing tight underwear and clothes.
• Avoid scratching.
• Eat lots of fruit and vegetables and high fibre cereals, as this will help prevent constipation, a common cause of piles.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Don't strain during bowel movements.