Piles / Haemorrhoids

We used to be told piles were the results of sitting on cold stone! I do not think there was any credence to this theory, but myths die hard.

Exacerbating causes at least are irritable bowel syndrome, (IBS), constipation, and a weakening of the tissues around the anus.

IBS is often gluten or milk allergy, or one of the many intestinal parasites that seem to be more common than they used to be.

One person in 11 who comes to Foresight has IBS, so it is not a rare condition. I have covered it more fully in the Section IBS / Bowel Cramps.

Good ways of helping constipation are bran, and thus wholegrain cereals in whatever form. Also, prune juice, rhubarb, oranges and most raw salads and vegetables. Magnesium pantothenate is a good supplement (Bio Care) for stimulating the peristaltic action – keeping things moving along. So is Thiamine (Vitamin B.

The tissue around the anus will be helped by Vitamin E, also Vitamin C which strengthens the collagen, also Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc and Selenium.

Iron in large quantities will not be helpful as it tends to cause horrendous constipation with very hard stools. NHS iron may be a significant contributory cause of piles in pregnancy.

The weight of the baby in late pregnancy does tend to cause piles, probably depending a bit on how it is positioned – so it is as well to take on board how best to manage them, or manage to avoid them, before the pregnancy starts.

Giving birth itself tends to worsen them, but if they have not appeared until a late stage in the pregnancy, they tend to disappear again in the weeks after the baby is born.

Given everything it needs to work with, the body will gradually go back to normal of its own accord.