There’s a range of medicines that can help to relieve the symptoms of piles. Some treatments include:
- Changing your diet and lifestyle to prevent constipation. This may include increasing water and fibre intake as well as exercising more often.
- Keeping your bottom dry and clean and only wiping it with a damp toilet paper to reduce friction.
- Applying an ice pack wrapped in a towel to the anal area to ease discomfort
- If you are constipated and are passing hard stools, use laxatives such as Fybogel or lactulose, which help soften stools and help them pass easily.
- Painkillers such as paracetamol can be taken for any pain or discomfort associated with pile.
- Creams, ointments and suppositories which ease any pain and itchiness. There are various products available (either over the counter or on prescription) such as Anusol and Germoloids. Creams and ointments are more useful for internal and external piles, which suppositories can be inserted directly into the anus for treatment of internal piles. These treatments are formulated with ingredients to sooth soreness, shrink piles, ease itching and even reduce inflammation.
It can sometimes take a few weeks for self-help measures and medicines to work. If your symptoms don’t improve after this time or if they keeping coming back, you should contact your GP.
