Haemorrhoids (also known as piles) are swollen blood vessels that are found in and around the anus. It is not known what causes them, but they are more likely to occur during pregnancy, heavy lifting, if you are constipated or straining too hard when you are defecating.1
Symptoms of haemorrhoids include an itchy or sore anus, bright red blood after defaecation, lumps or pain around your anus, or a slimy mucous after wiping your bottom.1
If you have tried home treatments to improve your symptoms for example, increasing your fibre intake, keeping your bottom clean and dry (see NHS for more advice) and these have not worked, you may wish to consider either speaking to your GP or hospital treatments.
Hospital haemorrhoid procedures can either be with surgery or without. Surgical procedures include: a haemorrhoidectomy (haemorrhoids are surgically removed), a stapled haemorrhoidopexy (haemorrhoids are stapled back inside the anus) or a haemorrhoidal artery ligation (stitches are used to cut the blood supply to the haemorrhoids causing them to shrink). These procedures require you to be asleep, so you will need an anaesthetic and may require an overnight stay in hospital.
Hospital haemorrhoid procedures that do not require surgery include: rubber band ligation (a band is placed around the haemorrhoids so they drop off), or various procedures can help shrink your haemorrhoids including: sclerotherapy (a substance is injected into the haemorrhoids) electrotherapy (a gentle current is used) or infrared coagulation (using infrared light). These procedures require you to be awake as the area will be numbed, and it is likely that you will be able to go home on the same day.
Further Reading:
1https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/piles-haemorrhoids/ (accessed 29th January 2022)
General, Colorectal and Laproscopic Surgeon
I qualified from King’s College School of Medicine (London) in 1995 and went on to train in surgery in the London areas. I finished my Surgical training at St Mark’s hospital in Harrow, the National Centre for Colorectal disease. I also completed a PhD in the genetics of Familial Adenomatosis Polyposis (FAP) jointly at St Mark’s and with Cancer Research UK, at Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London. I therefore have a strong background in both science and surgery.
At Ipswich hospital I have a number of senior roles and leadership is a significant part of my practice. These roles have included: Clinical Lead, Colorectal Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) lead, Surgical Tutor and Health Education East of England (HEEoE) Performance Support Well-being Case Manager. My present Leadership roles include: Foundation Years Training Programme Director (TPD), General Medical Council (GMC) performance assessor Team Leader, and Appraiser and Educational Supervisor. The GMC recognises me as a dedicated trainer, for future doctors. I am trusted to teach the next generation of surgeons and therefore practice using the latest techniques following national guidelines in a professional manner.
