How to Get Rid of Piles: From Creams to Surgery

Most piles can be improved or resolved without surgery. Here's the usual ladder of treatment, from simplest to most involved.

Start with self-care

The foundation is softer, easier stools: plenty of fibre, good hydration, and not straining or sitting too long on the toilet. These changes alone settle many cases of mild piles.

Creams and ointments

Over-the-counter and prescription preparations can ease itching, discomfort and inflammation. They relieve symptoms rather than cure the pile, but they help while lifestyle changes take effect.

Office procedures

If symptoms persist, minor procedures performed without a general anaesthetic are often the next step — most commonly rubber band ligation, which cuts off the blood supply to an internal pile so it shrinks and drops off. Injection treatment is another option.

Surgery

For larger (grade III–IV) or stubborn piles, surgical options such as haemorrhoidectomy or related techniques offer a more definitive solution. Recovery takes longer, but the results are durable.

When to see a specialist

If piles keep coming back, bleed persistently, or you're unsure of the diagnosis, get assessed — partly to treat the piles, and partly to be sure that's all it is.

This article provides general information and is not a substitute for individual medical advice. Please consult a qualified clinician about your own circumstances.