INTERNAL PILES. Symptoms

Category: Digestive Organs

The two prominent symptoms are bleeding and
pain. The bleeding is usually dark. It may be slight and appear as streaks
upon the feces or toilet paper; it may be moderate and ooze from the anus
for some time after a stool, or it may be so profuse as to cause the
patient to faint from loss of blood while the "bowels are moving." Death
may follow in such a case unless the bleeding is stopped. The blood may
look fresh and fluid or if retained for some time, it looks like coffee
grounds, sometimes mixed with mucus and pus. Patients who bleed profusely
become pale and bloodless, and are very nervous and gloomy and they
believe they are suffering from cancer or some other incurable trouble.
The first the patient notices he has internal piles is when a small lump
appears at the end of the bowel during a stool and returns spontaneously;
afterwards the lump again protrudes after the stool and others may appear.
They become larger and larger, come down oftener and no longer return
spontaneously, but must be replaced after each stool. As a result of this
handling, they grow sensitive, swollen, inflamed and ulcerated, and the
sphincter muscle becomes irritable. Later on one or more of the piles are
caught in the grasp of the sphincter muscle and rapidly increases in size.
It is then hard to relieve them, and when returned they act as foreign
bodies, excite irritation and they are almost constantly expelled and the
same procedure goes on at each stool. The sphincter muscle contracts so
tightly around them as to cause strangulation and unless properly treated
they become gangrenous and slough off.

Recovery, Pain, etc. The pain is not great in the early stages, but when
the muscle grasps and contracts the pile or piles it becomes terrible and
constant. Piles rarely end fatally. Palliative treatment does not afford a
permanent cure. They frequently return, but by care and diet many can be
kept from returning so frequently. They should be treated upon their first
appearance when the chances of a permanent cure without an operation are
much better.

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Internal Piles. What to do first. The cause
should be removed. Restore a displaced womb. Regulate the bowels, liver,
diet, and habits. Much can be accomplished by these measures if properly
used, in allaying inflammation diminishing pain and reducing the size of
the piles. These measures will not cure them if they are large, overgrown
and protruding. When the piles are inflamed, strangulated or ulcerated,
the patient should remain in bed in a recumbent position and hot
fomentations of hops, etc., and hot poultices, of flaxseed, slippery elm,
bread and milk, the ice bag, or soothing applications and astringent
remedies, should be applied to the parts. In some cases cold applications
are the best. The cold or astringent applications give the best results
where the piles are simply inflamed and the sphincter muscle does not act
spasmodically, jerkily. But when the piles are strangulated, "choked
tight" by the sphincter muscle, hot fomentations, poultices and soothing
remedies give the most relief, because they reduce spasmodic contractions
of the muscle and allay the pain. Instead of the poultices and
fomentations, the "sitz" bath can be used. Put in the steaming water,
hops, catnip, tansy, pennyroyal, etc., and the steam arising will
frequently give great relief. This can be given frequently; ten to twenty
drops of laudanum can be added to the poultices when the piles are very
painful.

1. For inflamed piles, the following combinations may be used:--

Gum Camphor 1 dram
Calomel 12 grains
Vaselin 1 ounce

Mix thoroughly and apply freely around the anus and in the rectum on the
piles.

The external parts should always be bathed with hot water, thoroughly,
before using.

2. Gum Camphor 2 drams
Chloretone 1 dram
Menthol 20 grains
Ointment of Zinc Oxide 1 ounce

Mix and apply directly to the piles.

3. When there is a slight bleeding, water of witch-hazel extract, one to
two ounces to be injected into the rectum. This witch-hazel water freely
used is good for external piles also. This is good and well recommended.

4. If the protruded pile is inflamed and hard to push back, the following
is good and recommended highly:--

Chloretone 1 dram
Iodoform 1 dram
Gum Camphor 1 dram
Petrolatum 1 ounce

Mix and use as a salve.

5. An ointment composed of equal parts of fine-cut tobacco and raisins,
seedless, chopped fine and mixed with enough lard, makes a good ointment
to apply on both external and internal piles.

6. Tea of white oak bark, boiled down so as to be strong, and mixed with
lard and applied frequently, is good as an astringent, but not for the
very painful kind. It will take down the swelling.

7. Take a rectal injection of cold water before the regular daily stool.
This will soften the feces and decrease the congestion.

Preventive Treatment. This is very important and includes habits and
diet and other diseases. If the patient is thin and pale give tonics.
Correct any disease of any neighboring organ. Attend to any disease that
may be present.

For Constipation. Take a small dose of salts or hunyadi water so as to
have one semi-solid stool daily. If necessary remove any feces that may
even then be retained, by injections of soap suds or warm water containing
oil. Discontinue injections as soon as a daily full stool can be had
without it.

Habits. Full-blooded people should not use upholstered chairs as the heat
of the body relaxes the tissues of the rectum. A cane seated chair is best
or an air cushion with a hollow center. It is best to rest in bed, if
possible, after stool for the rest relieves the congestion and soreness.
An abundance of out-door exercise, when the piles are not present, or bad,
consisting of walking or simple gymnastics may usually be indulged in;
violent gymnastics and horseback riding must be avoided. A daily stool
must be secured.

Diet. Such patients should avoid alcoholic beverages, spiced foods,
strong coffee, and tea, cheese, cabbage, and old beans.

Foods Allowed. Potatoes, carrots, spinach, asparagus, and even salads,
since they stimulate intestinal action and thus aid in keeping the stool
soft. Stewed fruits, including grapes, oranges, pears, and apples. Water
is the best to drink. Meats: tender broiled, boiled or baked beef--do not
eat the inside part to any great amount. Other meats, but no pork or ham,
fresh fish, chicken. The foods should not be too highly seasoned; vinegar
is not to be used to any extent and this excludes pickles, etc.

Next: PERIPROCTITIS. Abscess Around the Anus and Rectum)
Previous: MOTHERS' REMEDIES FOR PILES. Sulphur and Glycerin for

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INTERNAL PILES. Symptoms