{"id":7333,"date":"2026-04-02T11:53:19","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T11:53:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/?p=7333"},"modified":"2026-04-04T15:41:50","modified_gmt":"2026-04-04T15:41:50","slug":"this-is-the-uncomfortable-truth-about-why-were-all-getting-piles-and-the-very-common-habit-thats-making-them-worse-theres-no-need-to-be-embarrassed-this-is-the-simple-step-that-can-cure-you-f","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/?p=7333","title":{"rendered":"This is the uncomfortable truth about why we’re all getting piles… and the VERY common habit that’s making them worse. There’s no need to be embarrassed – this is the simple step that can cure you for good: DR RAJ ARORA"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Piles. Haemorrhoids. The thing nobody wants to talk about but almost everyone will deal with at some point.<\/p>\n

As a GP, I can tell you this: if you have a bottom, you\u2019re in the club.<\/p>\n

Yet despite how common they are, piles remain one of the most awkward, misunderstood, and quietly suffered conditions I see in clinic.<\/p>\n

Patients will happily tell me about chest pain, sex problems, even bowel habits \u2013 but mention bleeding from the back passage and suddenly voices drop, eyes avert, and we\u2019re speaking in code.<\/p>\n

So, let\u2019s cut through the embarrassment.<\/p>\n

Piles are swollen blood vessels in and around the anus. That\u2019s it. No mystery, no shame. You already have these blood vessels, they\u2019re normal. They just become enlarged and irritated.<\/p>\n

They can be inside, where they\u2019re often painless but may bleed \u2013 or outside, where they\u2019re more likely to hurt, itch or swell. And yes, they can make your life miserable.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re wondering whether what you\u2019re dealing with is piles, the symptoms are usually quite recognisable. Bright red blood on loo paper or in the bowl, itching or irritation down there, a feeling of something hanging or bulging, discomfort when sitting, or that annoying sensation that you haven\u2019t quite finished after a bowel movement.<\/p>\n

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\"Despite<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Despite how common they are, piles remain one of the most awkward, misunderstood, and quietly suffered conditions I see in clinic, writes Dr Raj Arora<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

So why do they happen? The uncomfortable truth is that modern life is basically designed to give you piles. The biggest culprits are straining, constipation, sitting for too long, low-fibre diets, pregnancy and heavy lifting.<\/p>\n

And then there\u2019s the habit many people have of turning the loo into a second living room. If you\u2019re spending ten or 15 minutes scrolling on your phone while waiting, you\u2019re putting unnecessary pressure on the blood vessels in your bottom.<\/p>\n

Your bowel isn\u2019t a waiting room. Go when you need to go \u2013 and then get up.<\/p>\n

Most piles are not dangerous, but they are uncomfortable.<\/p>\n

The real problem is when you ignore them or self-diagnose, hoping they will disappear without making any changes.<\/p>\n

They tend to persist if the underlying cause isn\u2019t addressed.<\/p>\n

What helps is often simple but requires consistency.<\/p>\n

Fibre is non-negotiable. If your diet is low in fibre, your bowels will reflect that. Vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, or even fibre supplements can make a significant difference.<\/p>\n

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\"'Straining<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

‘Straining should not be seen as normal. If you are pushing hard every time you go, something needs to change.’<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Hydration is just as important because fibre without enough fluid can worsen constipation.<\/p>\n

Over-the-counter creams can help with itching and inflammation and provide short-term relief. But if you find yourself relying on them for weeks, you are likely missing the bigger issue.<\/p>\n

Your toileting habits matter more than you think. Don\u2019t ignore the urge to go, don\u2019t sit there for long periods, and yes, even something as simple as using a small footstool can help improve positioning and reduce strain.<\/p>\n

Straining should not be seen as normal. If you are pushing hard every time you go, something needs to change.<\/p>\n

There are times when you should seek medical advice.<\/p>\n

If bleeding is persistent; if you are over 40 with new symptoms; if there is a change in bowel habit; unexplained weight loss; or if the pain is severe or getting worse, it is important to get checked.<\/p>\n

While piles are common, not everything that bleeds is a pile.<\/p>\n

If symptoms don\u2019t improve with the simple lifestyle measures mentioned above, there are effective treatments available to get rid of piles \u2013 including injections or procedures that cut off their blood supply and make them shrink. In some cases, surgery might be necessary to remove them \u2013 but rest assured, it is usually straightforward and far less daunting than people imagine.<\/p>\n

From a GP perspective, the biggest issue is not the condition itself but the embarrassment surrounding it that stops people seeking help.<\/p>\n

I have seen patients suffer for years with bleeding, pain and discomfort simply because they felt too awkward to bring it up.<\/p>\n

Piles are common, treatable and usually harmless, but they are also a signal that something in your lifestyle, whether that is diet, hydration or bowel habits, needs attention. Ignoring it won\u2019t help. Addressing it will.<\/p>\n

And if you are worried, please speak up. Your GP has heard it all before.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  Piles. Haemorrhoids. The thing nobody wants to talk about but almost everyone will deal with at some point. As a GP, I can tell you this: if you have a bottom, you\u2019re in the club. Yet despite how common they are, piles remain one of the most awkward, misunderstood, and quietly suffered conditions I<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7334,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[987],"tags":[1682,1681,1683,1687,1679,1684,1686,1678,1680,1685],"class_list":{"0":"post-7333","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-healthy-living","8":"tag-bowel-health","9":"tag-constipation-relief","10":"tag-dr-raj-arora","11":"tag-gp-advice","12":"tag-haemorrhoids-treatment","13":"tag-high-fibre-diet","14":"tag-pelvic-floor-health","15":"tag-piles-symptoms","16":"tag-rectal-bleeding","17":"tag-toilet-habits"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7333","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7333"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7333\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7369,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7333\/revisions\/7369"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7334"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7333"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7333"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7333"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}