How do you know for sure you have piles? Blood in the stool together with stomach pain may be the sign of a more serious condition. I would advise you to immediately see a medical professional.
If it is determined you have only piles, here are some things that can help:
To encourage piles to clear up, it's important to avoid constipation. If you have regular bowel movements and avoid straining, stools will pass easily and will not put pressure on the blood vessels in the anal area. The piles will then eventually go away without treatment after about six weeks.
Eating plenty of fibre-rich foods such as fruit, vegetables and wholegrain cereals (eg brown rice, wholemeal bread and wholemeal pasta), and drinking plenty of fluids, especially water, should keep bowel movements soft.
It may help to take a fibre supplement such as psyllium and to drink orange juioce at night which acts as a mild laxatives. Do not use strong laxatives, such as the stimulant laxative senna, because long-term use can be harmful.
Dr. Coleen Murphy, ND
answered by Dr C M N