Prolapsed Hemorrhoids (Piles) - Causes & Treatment

Symptoms of Prolapsed Piles

Common symptoms of prolapsed piles include:

• A painless lump: One of the most common symptoms of a prolapsed pile is a painless lump in the anus. A soft but painless bump is often first found when wiping after a bowel movement. 
• Bleeding: Blood on toilet paper or stool is a common symptom of prolapsed piles. Dark red blood signifies the bleeding is present further up the large intestine.
• Itching and irritation: Anal itching is common with a prolapsed pile. The skin around the anus can also get irritated.
• Mucus discharge: This whitish goo can develop due to rectal swelling. You can spot the mucus on stools or toilet paper after wiping.
• Foul smell: If the mucus is present on stools or toilet paper, it may have a foul odor.
• Incomplete evacuation: It is a feeling that the bowels are still full even after a bowel movement.
• Fecal leakage: Fecal leakage, also known as fecal incontinence, is caused by the protrusion of tissues outside the anus, letting traces of stool to escape out.

Diagnosis and Treatment For Prolapsed Piles

Diagnosis

A proctologist can easily and quickly diagnose a prolapsed pile with the help of a physical examination. However, they can also perform a digital rectal exam. A digital rectal exam is a test that inspects and analyzes a person’s lower rectum, pelvis, and lower belly. This test can help the doctor check for piles and other medical issues, like prostate cancer, an abnormal mass in the rectum, or anus. 

Treatment

Most prolapsed piles shrink and return to normal in some time, but if the pile stays, the patient may need certain medications, or surgery. Treatment options for prolapsed piles include:

Medication

There are several medical options available for the patient’s treatment for prolapsed pile, including:

• Topical ointments, over-the-counter 
• Stool softeners, over-the-counter

Surgical procedures

Prolapsed piles that cannot be treated with at-home treatments or medicines may require surgery to shrink or eliminate them. Surgery is the most reliable and effective way to treat piles and eliminate them altogether. The most effective and successful surgical options for prolapsed piles include:

1. Laser surgery (laser hemorrhoidectomy) – It is one of the most advanced and effective treatments for prolapsed piles. Laser hemorrhoidectomy is a procedure that uses laser energy to treat prolapsed piles. When this treatment is used, a diode laser reduces blood supply to anal cushions and shrinks piles mass. In addition, the smaller-sized laser beam improves the accuracy and precision of this procedure. 
2. Stapled hemorrhoidectomy – Under stapled hemorrhoidectomy, the doctor will relocate the piles and discontinue their blood supply with a stapler-like device. The piles will shrink and perish if they don’t get any blood. The patient will also heal quickly and have less itching and bleeding. 

Other surgical options to treat prolapsed piles include:

• Sclerotherapy– It is the procedure to inject a substance into a vein that causes it to shrink.
• Coagulation– Infrared radiation is used to cut off blood supply to a vein, causing it to shrink.
• Rubber band ligation: It is the most typical method of treating a prolapsed pile. In this procedure, a rubber band is tied around the pile’s base to restrict blood supply to the pile. As a result of this, the pile contracts.