The treatment of haemorrhoids or piles depends on the type and severity of your condition. Your doctor may recommend simple preventative measures such as increasing your fibre intake and drinking plenty of water to allow regular bowel motions without straining.
Home remedies such as hydrocortisone, haemorrhoid cream, tablets or suppositories and over-the-counter pain medications may help provide relief from itching or pain. Warm baths or cold compresses may also help.
If these measures do not help, your doctor may recommend other treatment options such as:
- Oral medications
- Rubber band ligation in which blood circulation to the haemorrhoid is cut off by placing a band around it. The loss of circulation forces the haemorrhoid to shrink. This should only be performed by a medical practitioner.
- Injection therapy in which a chemical is injected directly into the blood vessel to reduce its size.
- Surgery to remove haemorrhoids, known as Haemorrhoidectomy, to remove the excess or protruding tissue that is bleeding. It is performed under local, spinal or general anaesthesia.