How do I know if I have it?
As Bupa explains, piles don’t always cause pain or other symptoms, but if you do have symptoms, they might include:
- Bleeding when you have a bowel movement – you may see blood (usually bright red) on toilet paper or drips in the toilet or on the surface of your poo
- A lump in or around your anus
- A slimy discharge of mucus from your anus
- A feeling of ‘fullness’ and discomfort in your anus, or a feeling that your bowels haven’t completely emptied after going to the toilet
- Itchy or sore skin around your anus
- Pain and discomfort after you go to the toilet
According to the health body, these symptoms can vary a lot between individuals and they may also be caused by problems other than piles, such as inflammatory bowel disease, anal cancer, bowel cancer and an anal fissure (tear).
“So if you have any of these symptoms, contact your GP for advice – don’t just assume they’re being caused by piles,” it cautioned.
You should go to A&E call 999 if you have piles if you’re bleeding non-stop, there’s a lot of blood – for example, the toilet water turns red, you see large blood clots or you’re in severe pain, warns the NHS.
