Haemorrhoids, also known as piles, is a condition that affects the blood vessels or veins in and surrounding the anus and lower rectum, which causes irritation and swelling. It can cause severe pain, especially when the body exerts effort that places extra pressure on the blood vessels. Small haemorrhoids can heal and resolve on their own, but medical intervention is usually needed for big ones. There are many treatments for haemorrhoids removal in Singapore, so you do not have to suffer from excruciating pain due to this condition. Read on to find out what more about haemorrhoids and what treatment is best for you.
What are the usual symptoms of haemorrhoids?
Haemorrhoid symptoms differ depending on its type. There are two main types of haemorrhoids:
- External haemorrhoids
- Internal haemorrhoids
- Thrombosed haemorrhoids
Internal haemorrhoids. This type of haemorrhoids develop in the rectum and rarely cause any pain as they are usually not felt. However, symptoms can be triggered when the area where the haemorrhoid is located undergoes strain or becomes irritated. When this happens, you may notice these signs during bowel movement:
- Blood in the stool, even when no discomfort was felt during bowel movement.
- Irritation and pain caused by a protruding haemorrhoid that has been pushed out of the anal opening during bowel movement.
External haemorrhoids. This type of haemorrhoids develop beneath the skin that surrounds the anus. It is easy to detect as the symptoms are generally felt, such as:
- Bleeding
- Inflammation around the anal area
- Irritation and itching in the anal area
Thrombosed haemorrhoids. This type of haemorrhoid occurs when blood accummulates in an external haemorrhoids and develops a thrombus or a clot. Thrombosed haemorrhoids lead to:
- A lump that is discolored and hard near the anal area
- Inflammation
- Intense pain
- Swelling
Who are at risk of developing haemorrhoids?
Anyone can develop haemorrhoids at any point in their lives. The risk of haemorrhoids increases as we get older. Between men and women, the latter are more prone to have haemorrhoids, especially during pregnancy. Other risk factors are:
- Being obese
- Being over 45 years old
- Eating a diet that is low in fibre
- Having anal intercoourse
- Having haemorrhoids in your family medical history
- Having experienced chronic diarrhoea or constipation
- Performing strenuous activities that causes pressure to the lower part of the body
- Sitting on the toilet for extended periods of time
- Straining during bowel movement
Are there health complications that can be brought about by having haemorrhoids?
Haemorrhoids rarely bring any complications, but these are the common ones:
- Anemia – This is very rare, but blood loss can happen continuously when you have haemorrhoids, therefore decreasing the amount of healthy red blood cells in the body.
- Blood clot – This can happen inside a haemorrhoid and be super painful.
- Strangulated haemorrhoid – This occurs when the supply of blood is cut off from an internal haemorrhoid. This usually causes excruciating pain.
What are the available treatments for haemorrhoids removal in Singapore?
The available treatments for haemorrhoids removal in Singapore varies and each is given depending on the type and severity of your diagnosis.
For mild cases, your doctor can recommend treatments that can be done at home. This includes:
- Change in diet
- Medications
- Sitz bath
Change in diet. The goal to prevent your haemorrhoids from getting worse is to pass stools easily without straining. You can have soft stools by:
- Drinking a lot of fluids, especially water
- Switching to a diet that is high in fibre
Medications. If you are not able to immediately adapt to a high-fibre diet, you may want to consider taking fibre supplements, like methylcellulose and psyllium. These can be obtained without the need for prescription and can reduce bleeding as well as other symptoms of haemorrhoids.
Sitz bath. A sitz bath is a shallow, warm bath that a person sits in to gain relief from any discomfort, itching, or pain in the anal region. By sitting in a sitz bath, the anal sphincter begins to relax and the circulation of blood in the anal tissues is improved. This allows your anal region to lessen any swelling and heal from haemorrhoids.
For moderate to major haemorrhoid cases, there are methods that gastroenterologists can perform to treat haemorrhoids. These are:
- Electrocoagulation
- Infrared photocoagulation
- Haemorrhoid stapling
- Haemorrhoidectomy
- Rubber band ligation
- Sclerotherapy
Electrocoagulation. This procedure is done by applying electric current directly to an internal haemorrhoid. The blood supply to the haemorrhoid is then cut as soon as the scar tissue develops. Without any blood supply, the haemorrhoid then shrinks.
Infrared photocoagulation. This procedure uses infrared light that is directed into the internal haemorrhoid. The effects are similar to electrocoagulation.
Haemorrhoid Stapling. This procedure uses a stapling tool to either pull a protruding haemorrhoid back into the anus or to remove an internal haemorrhoid completely.
Rubber band ligation. This procedure is performed on haemorrhoids that are either bleeding or protruding. To do this, your doctor will use a medical grade rubber band and loop it around the stem of the haemorrhoid. By doing this, the blood circulation is cut, making the haemorrhoid shrink and eventually fall off.
Haemorrhoidectomy. This surgical procedure is recommended for haemorroids that are large and protruding. The surgery is done using anaesthesia, so you will not feel any pain or discomfor during the procedure. After locating the haemorrhoid, your doctor will cut it out and then seal tissues and veins in the treatment area.
Sclerotherapy. This procedure is performed on internal haemorrhoids using an injectable solution that is injected into the haemorrhoid. A scar tissue is formed as a result of this which shrinks the haemorrhoid after the blood supply has been cut off.
Can haemorrhoids come back after being removed?
This is a concern of a lot of patients that have haemorrhoids. The answer is yes. Haemorrhoids can stil develop even after removal. However, there are various ways to prevent this from happening. You can lower your risk of developing haemorrhoids again by:
- Avoiding activities that can strain your lower body
- Consulting with your doctor about managing constipation
- Drinking plenty of fluids, especially water
- Keep your weight at a healthy level
- Having a high-fibre diet
- Spending less time sitting on the toilet
Gastrohealth – Centre for Digestive and Liver Care
6A Napier Road, Annexe Block
#03-37 Gleneagles Hospital
Singapore 258500
+655 6355 5773
+65 9776 2721
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