Smart phones, weight lifting and mala are causing problems in the loo for Singaporeans

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Smart phones, weight lifting and mala are causing problems in the loo for Singaporeans

There's an uptick in the number of cases involving haemorrhoids – or piles – say the experts. And it's mainly got to practise with our lifestyle choices.

22 Jul 2022 06:30AM (Updated: 13 Aug 2022 04:12PM)

The adjacent fourth dimension you need the bathroom, don't bring your handphone along with y'all. Yous'll be tempted to stay longer in there.

But more than worryingly, sitting on the toilet bowl for extended periods can put you in a position that makes you decumbent to developing piles.

READ: What your poo says almost your health

Matters that business organisation your trips to the toilet don't often get brought up in polite conversation. But they should as the number of cases is on the uptick.

The phenomenon could be attributed to an increased constipation rate attributable to a diet that is lacking in fibre and adequate fluid intake, said Dr Jason Lim, general surgeon at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital.

Other forms of exertion may also cause piles, which are medically known equally haemorrhoids. Take lifting heavy weights, for instance.

The strain can accept its price on extremities you never idea could be affected. It's something to think about the next time you're ability lifting in the gym.

And if y'all're a fan of mala, curry or annihilation spicy, you might want to hold dorsum a bit if you want to minimise experiencing the band of fire.

"Spicy food may atomic number 82 to more than frequent bowel movements, which in turn, increases swelling of the haemorrhoids," said Dr Bettina Lieske, senior consultant at National University Infirmary'due south Sectionalisation of Colorectal Surgery.

And for those who have piles, it is a very real issue. Other than the pain experienced while passing motion (fresh, red claret may exist seen in the stool, too), the surface area around the anus tin also be itchy, blood-red and sore.

And if there are hardened lumps around the anus, sitting down tin can be painful.

Then WHAT EXACTLY ARE PILES?

Interestingly, doctors say that everyone has piles and that they serve a purpose. "Haemorrhoids, as well known as anal cushions, are present in every human being's anus," said Dr Lim.

READ: If you're not losing weight despite exercise, this could exist why

"These cushions are important in providing the fine control necessary for maintaining anal continence. An example would be assuasive the anus to pass gas without leaking stools."

These tissue and blood vessels only get a trouble when they are inflamed and engorged. And at that place are two types of piles: Internal and external.

"Internal haemorrhoids seldom cause pain" but these lumps unremarkably cause bleeding and can get pushed out of the anus during bowel movements, said Dr Lieske.

The external haemorrhoids are the ones that cause discomfort and take "more obvious swelling", she said.

Women who take given nativity may be familiar with those situations. The growing foetus increases the pressure inside the abdomen, causing blood to flow back into the cushions, making them smashing.

During labour, external piles tin swell significantly due to the pressure, and even though the swelling reduces afterwards, many women are left with pare tags (not haemorrhoids) that hang exterior the anus, said Dr Lieske.

ARE PILES CANCEROUS?

People tend to get nervous when they find unfamiliar bumps and lumps on their bodies. Piles are no exception, especially when they can crusade pain and bleeding.

The silvery lining? "Haemorrhoids do non develop into cancer," said Dr Lieske. People conflate piles with rectal cancer because the symptoms, she said, are similar and include "discomfort during defaecation, bleeding and mucus belch".

Your best bet, when you notice bleeding in the anus, is to see a md for a proper diagnosis, she said.

If y'all do have piles, your physician would be able to tell you their course. Co-ordinate to Dr Lim, piles can exist categorised into four grades:

Grade 1: Internal haemorrhoids that practise not prolapse or fall out of the anus.
Grade ii: These internal haemorrhoids prolapse from the anus during strain or defaecation. But they reduce in size and retract on their own after bowel movements.
Grade 3: Like Grade 2, these haemorrhoids jut out from the anus during strain or defaecation. The exception is, they need to be manually pushed dorsum into the anus.
Grade 4: These are external haemorrhoids that cannot reduce in size on their own or exist manually put back in.

"Piles, regardless of size, tin can become thrombosed," said Dr Lim. This is an intensely painful situation where a blood clot has adult inside the blood vessels.

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As for who are prone to developing piles, Dr Lim said that there is no specific demographic. "Different patients at unlike ages and points of their lives take different activity levels and tolerance levels," he said.

"As such, the symptoms from haemorrhoids can vary significantly between patients with the same grade of haemorrhoids."

But he added that those "who suffer from constipation would be more than predisposed to developing symptomatic piles, regardless of historic period or gender".

WHAT ARE THE TREATMENTS AVAILABLE?

The handling of piles isn't necessarily surgical removal. "Piles are necessary for the fine control and maintenance of anal continence," said Dr Lim.

"Therefore, the treatment is directed at the symptoms, and not to remove the piles entirely." He explained that removing all of a patient's piles can lead to the loss of anal continence.

Information technology can even issue in the scarring and tightening of the anus, which tin severely affect the patient's ability to defecate.

If this is your first run across with piles, y'all are likely to recover with medication that reduces the swelling and inflammation likewise as to soften your stools, cited Dr Lieske, along with some changes to your nutrition and toilet habits.

For repeat cases or big swellings that will non settle with such medication, Dr Lieske said that not-surgical methods such as condom band ligation or sclerotherapy may exist used.

Surgery is usually merely considered when the abovementioned methods fail, said Dr Lim.

"This is performed under anaesthesia in a day-surgery setting and patients mostly return home on the same twenty-four hours after surgery."

Equally for the recovery menstruum and level of postal service-performance discomfort, Dr Lim said that it depends on the size and number of piles removed, the resulting surgical wounds, equally well every bit the presence of conditions such as diabetes and use of sure chronic medications.

Smart phones, weight lifting and mala are causing problems in the loo for Singaporeans

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