Piles and Anal Fissure are common disorders across the globe
Piles and Anal Fissure are common disorders across the globe. India, for instance, witnesses over 10 million confirmed cases of piles and over 1 million cases of anal fissure each year.
Some people often confuse the two terms or use them interchangeably. It is true that both these conditions affect the anus — the last orifice that excretes the waste. However, they are NOT the same. In this post, we will take a detailed look at these two anal pathologies and list down the best ayurvedic medicines to treat piles and fissure. Let’s start with the basics first.
What exactly is Piles?
Piles is sometimes also referred to as hemorrhoids. A person is said to be suffering from piles when veins located around the anus or lower rectum swell up. Stats suggest that roughly 75% of people experience this condition by the time they turn 50. Piles can either be internal or external, depending on whether they develop within outside of the anus.
Symptoms of Piles
A few obvious symptoms of piles include:
- Intense itching, pain or irritation around the anus
- Painful lumps or swelling near the anus
- Painful bowel movement
- Blood on the tissue after a bowel movement
- Fecal Leakage
Causes of Piles
If there is too much pressure on the veins around the anus, they swell up and cause discomfort, resulting in Piles. There can be a number of triggers for this pressure, such as:
- Family history of the condition
- Chronic constipation
- Straining during a bowel movement
- Sitting for long, especially on the toilet
Ayurvedic View on Piles
Ayurveda classifies Piles as a result of an imbalance of all the three doshas – Vata (air), Pitta (fire) and Kapha (Earth & Water). In fact, there are three types of hemorrhoids, depending on the dominant dosha:
- Pitta: Pitta dominant people may experience red soft hemorrhoids that bleed more than often
- Vata: People with Vata dominance may have to deal with high intensity pain arising from hemorrhoids that have a rough, hard texture
- Kapha: Kapha dominant individuals may have hemorrhoids that are soft, slippery and light in color.
Now since we have a fair idea about Piles, let’s head over straight to fissure before listing down the treatments for the two.
What exactly is an Anal Fissure?
Simply putting, an anal fissure is a small tear or cut in the lining of the anus. The condition may sometimes lead to bleeding, especially during and after the bowel movements.
The condition is fairly common, especially among infants as constipation is a common issue during this age. Some elderly patients also face issues with anal fissures, yet again, because of the same reason. Usually an anal fissure resolves on its own within 4-6 weeks; however, in case it doesn’t, patients might have to look for other options of treatments including surgery.
Symptoms of Anal Fissure
You may be able to ascertain an anal fissure through one or more symptoms such as:
- A visible tear in or around the anus
- Sharp ache during bowel movements
- Bloody stools
- Itching/burning sensation in the anal area
Causes of Anal Fissure
Generally, this condition is a result of chronic constipation or frequent diarrhea. A few other causes can be:
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
- Straining during bowel movements (also during pregnancy)
- Very tight anal sphincter muscle
- Low blood flow towards the anorectal area
Ayurvedic View on Anal Fissure
Ayurveda refers to anal fissure as Parikartika. The traditional methods of healing note poor digestion/appetite along with over-dependence on salty, dry and hot foods that aggravate Vata and Pitta doshas as the major causes of anal fissure.
Best Ayurvedic Medicine for Piles and Fissure
Here are a few herbal medicines that you may consider for piles and anal fissure after proper consultation with your doctor:
1) Pilex Tablets by Himalaya Herbals
Pilex is a unique combination of time-tested herbs brought to you with the trust of Himalaya Herbals. Each Pilex tablet contains extracts of Nagakeshar (Messea Ferrea), Haritaki (Terminalia Chebula) and Neem (Azadirachta Indica).
The tablet has hemostatic, anti-inflammatory, laxative, anti-microbial, analgesic and wound-healing properties, which make it a must-buy for all patients suffering from piles and anal fissures. Priced at just INR 125 for 60 tablets, this formulation is worthy of the top spot on our list.
2) Virechana Vati by Sri Sri Tattva
Chronic constipation/hard stools is the root cause behind the development of hemorrhoids and fissure. For this reason, all ayurvedic medicines and remedies for the two conditions aim to ensure soft stools that can pass easily through the anus, without any straining. Virechana Vati is one of such medications.
The company attributes the success of these tablets to its key components like Sonamukhi, Eranda taila and Haritaki. A strip of 10 tablets of Virechana Vati costs just INR 40, making it a highly affordable ayurvedic medicine to prevent and treat piles and anal fissure.
3) Pilogest Capsules by Kerala Ayurveda
Each 480mg capsule of Pilogest contains Surana (Amorphophallus dubis), Chitrak (Plumbago zeylanica), Lajjalu (Mimosa pudica) and Triphala. Pilogest helps reduce bleeding and inflammation associated with the two conditions, thereby bringing long-term relief besides also curing constipation.
A pack of 100 capsules of Pilogest comes with a price tage of INR 590. However, you may find huge discounts on online pharmacy portals, such as 1mg and Pharmacy.
4) Dr. Shuddhi Piles Package
Dr. Shuddhi offers treatment options for many chronic conditions and piles is one of them. Formerly known as Divya Kit, this piles package comprises of Divya Vati, Divya Piles Care Churan, and a 32-herbs tea. While Divya Vati comprises of 3 important herbs like Shatavari, Shankhpushpi, and Chitrakmul, Divya Piles Care Churan lists black pepper as its primary ingredient.
Dr. Shuddhi Piles Package is priced at INR 4,500 and besides treating piles will also provide detoxificaton and overall rejuvenation.
5) Cureveda Piles Pack
Cureveda is a Mumbai-based herbal startup offering quality products and supplements. They have a special pack to treat piles and fissure which consists of “Piles Elixir” and “Piles Peace”. While Elixir contains extracts of Vidanga, Haritaki and Nishoth in liquid form, Peace contains tablets made of extracts from Neem, Jimikand and Triphala. You can purchase this pack from Cureveda’s official website for INR 1,390.
6) Patanjali Arshkalp Vati
Another simple and effective treatment for piles and fissure comes from the household name Patanjali. The tablets are made from the extracts of the following herbs:
- Rasottsudh (berberisaristata)
- Reetha (sapindusmukorossi)
- Harar small (terminaliachebula)
- Kapoor desi (cinnamomumcamphora)
- Bakayan (melia azedarach)
- Nimoli (azadirachtaindica)
- Makoy (solanum nigrum)
- Khunkharaba (daemonoropsdraco)
- Nagddon (artemisia vulgaris)
- Ghritkumari (aloe barbadensis)
The combination of the above-mentioned herbs ensure that patients get full-time relief from constipation, bleeding and pain in the anal region.
Vringra Ultra Pure Piles Stop Capsules
As the name indicates, Vringra piles stop capsules are made from purified extracts of many age-old herbs such as Kutki, Sonth, Neem, Harar, Rasaunt, Chitrak, Nagkesar, Daruhaldi, Pippal, Katha, and Haldi. Apart from providing quick and long-term relief from constipation and frequent diarrhea, the medicine helps stop itching and pain associated with bowel movements.
A pack of 30 piles stop capsules has been priced at INR 345 and is available at all leading online stores and pharmacies.
The Bottom Line
Conditions like piles and anal fissure still have a taboo associated with them. This means that even in the 21st century people are shy or embarrassed to talk about such conditions even with their doctor. Although these two conditions are not life-threatening, they can turn severe if not treated on time in the advanced stages. Fortunately enough though, Ayurveda has easy remedies and solutions for both these problems.
The ayurvedic medicines listed above have been selected carefully on the basis of the composition, the credibility of its manufactures, the efficacy rate and their price. Still, readers are advised to undergo a proper consultation with a registered ayurevda practitioner before making a purchase.
Ridhi Ayurveda wishes you the best of health!
