Haemorrhoids treatment usually starts at home: soften your poo with more fibre and water, stop straining on the toilet, and use pharmacy creams, ointments or suppositories to ease itching and pain while things settle. Most haemorrhoids (piles) improve with these steps. Any bleeding from your bottom should still be checked by a GP, even if you’re fairly sure it’s piles. For other everyday conditions, browse our common illnesses A–Z.
What are haemorrhoids?
Haemorrhoids, also called piles, are swollen blood vessels in and around the anus (back passage). healthdirect describes them as a bit like varicose veins of the anus. They’re very common, and many people have them without noticing.
There are two main types:
- Internal haemorrhoids are inside the anal canal. They’re usually painless, but they can bleed, and larger ones can bulge out (prolapse) when you go to the toilet. Some slip back in by themselves, some can be pushed back in, and some stay outside.
- External haemorrhoids are under the skin around the outside of the anus. They can feel like a lump and can become very painful if a blood clot forms inside.
Signs you might have piles
- bright red blood on the toilet paper or in the toilet bowl after a bowel motion;
- itching or irritation around your bottom;
- discomfort, aching or pain, especially when sitting or passing a bowel motion;
- a soft or hard lump you can feel at the anus;
- mucus on the toilet paper or in your underwear.
What causes haemorrhoids?
The main culprit is straining on the toilet, usually because of constipation. Other things that raise the pressure in those blood vessels include:
- a diet low in fibre, and not drinking enough fluid;
- sitting on the toilet for a long time (scrolling on your phone counts);
- ongoing diarrhoea;
- pregnancy, due to constipation, pressure from the baby and changes in blood flow;
- being overweight;
- heavy lifting;
- a family history of haemorrhoids.
Haemorrhoids: myths and facts
Myth: “Piles are just part of getting older, so there’s nothing you can do.”
Fact: They are more common from middle age, but healthdirect says preventing constipation is the best way to stop existing haemorrhoids flaring and new ones forming. Small changes to your diet and toilet habits make a real difference.
Myth: “If it’s bleeding, it must be piles.”
Fact: Haemorrhoids are a common cause of bright red bleeding, but the Better Health Channel points out that bleeding from the bowel can also be caused by other conditions, some of them serious, including bowel cancer. Always get new bleeding checked by a GP.
Myth: “A good scrub keeps things clean and helps them heal.”
Fact: Rubbing and harsh products make irritation worse. healthdirect recommends gently washing and drying the area with plain water or unscented soap, using wet toilet paper or a wet washcloth, and avoiding scented soaps, bubble bath, perfumes, talcum powder and deodorant.
Myth: “You need surgery to get rid of them.”
Fact: Most haemorrhoids settle with self-care and pharmacy products. If they keep causing problems, a doctor can offer simple procedures, and surgery is only one of several options.
What can you do at home?
- Increase fibre gradually with fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, nuts and legumes. Going slowly helps avoid bloating.
- Drink plenty of water. This matters even more in Gold Coast summers, when heat and humidity mean you lose more fluid through sweat, and a day at the beach or theme parks can leave you drier than you realise.
- Go when you feel the urge. Holding on can make poo harder to pass.
- Don’t strain or linger. Leave your phone outside the bathroom.
- Keep moving. Regular exercise helps keep your bowels regular.
- Soothe the area. healthdirect notes a warm bath may ease pain, and an ice pack wrapped in a clean towel can help with pain and swelling. Don’t use the ice pack for more than 30 minutes at a time.
How can your pharmacist help with haemorrhoids treatment?
Buying haemorrhoid products can feel awkward, but it’s an everyday conversation for us, and you’re welcome to ask to talk in private. We can help with:
- creams, ointments and suppositories from the pharmacy that may help ease itching, pain and swelling. Some contain a local anaesthetic or a mild steroid, and some are only meant for short-term use, so ask your pharmacist which suits you;
- fibre supplements and gentle laxatives if diet changes alone aren’t softening things enough;
- pain relief such as paracetamol. Follow the label or your pharmacist’s advice;
- advice for pregnancy and breastfeeding, when some products aren’t suitable.
We’ll also check whether any of your regular medicines might be causing constipation. If you take several, a medication review can help.
When to see a GP
See your GP if:
- you notice bleeding from your bottom for the first time, or it changes;
- you have blood or mucus in your stools, or your poo is dark red or black;
- your bowel habits have changed, such as ongoing constipation, diarrhoea or looser stools;
- you’ve lost weight without trying, or you have tummy pain;
- a lump is very painful, hard, or can’t be pushed back in;
- symptoms don’t improve with self-care and pharmacy treatment, or keep coming back.
Go to an emergency department or call 000 if you’re bleeding heavily, the bleeding won’t stop, the toilet water turns red or you pass large clots, or you feel faint, dizzy or light-headed.
Talk to our pharmacists at Pacific Fair
Haemorrhoids are common and nothing to be embarrassed about. Our pharmacists can talk you through the options in private and let you know when a GP visit makes sense. Pop in, with no appointment needed. Find us on the ground floor of Pacific Fair Shopping Centre, Broadbeach, open 7 days (until 9pm Thursdays), or call (07) 5592 2099.
Written by the Priceline Pharmacy Pacific Fair team. Reviewed by Jason Markey (BPharmSci, MPharm), Pharmacist.
Sources
- healthdirect – Haemorrhoids (piles)
- healthdirect – Anal care
- healthdirect – Blood in stool
- Better Health Channel – Haemorrhoids
This article is general information only and isn’t a substitute for personal advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Always read the label and follow the directions for use. If symptoms persist or you’re worried, talk to your pharmacist or GP. In an emergency, call 000.