Simple Lifestyle Tweaks Could Stop Painful Haemorrhoids Entirely

Up to one in four Britons is currently suffering from haemorrhoids, a painful condition that simple lifestyle tweaks could potentially stop entirely. These swollen veins in the lower rectum or anus cause itching, pain, and bleeding, often triggered by constipation or straining during bowel movements. Even chronic coughing and heavy manual labour can bring on the problem.

Dr Mohammad Bakhtiar, Clinical Lead at Medical Express Clinic, warns that the modern way of living is practically designed to cause them. Low fibre diets, excessive sitting, and straining on the loo create a perfect storm for these issues. By age 50, about half of the population will have experienced them, yet many remain silent due to embarrassment.

The anatomy of our backsides includes small cushions of blood vessels that help with continence. When these cushions become swollen and engorged from repeated pressure, they turn into piles. Anything raising pressure in those veins can lead to the condition, including heavy lifting with breath held. This explains why weightlifters often get them, though holding your breath while bearing down raises abdominal pressure similarly to straining.

Dr Bakhtiar notes that prolonged sitting matters too, with the phone being a major culprit. People often sit on the loo scrolling for ten or fifteen minutes, creating sustained pressure that doctors are trying to avoid. Some people also inherit weaker tissue around the back passage, making them prone to piles regardless of how careful they are.

However, everyone can take steps to keep their back passage bulge-free. The most obvious prevention is eating a diet rich in fibre while staying hydrated. Dr Bakhtiar states that fibre softens and bulks the stool so it passes without effort, removing the straining that causes piles in the first place. The evidence shows that raising fibre intake cuts the risk of persistent symptoms and bleeding by roughly half.

The NHS recommends that adults eat around 30g of fibre a day, but the average Briton only eats about half of that benchmark. Experts suggest building up gradually with wholegrains, fruit, vegetables, and pulses. Drinking enough water is equally vital because fibre without fluid can actually make constipation worse.

Another underrated recommendation is exercise, which can be as simple as a daily walk. This helps keep bowel movements regular and prevents people from being dangerously sedentary. Even with perfect weightlifting form, piles can still happen if you hold your breath during lifts.

If you think you have haemorrhoids, the biggest mistake you can make is waiting for them to go away on their own. Dr Bakhtiar often treats patients who have suffered in silence for months, too embarrassed to speak up. Another common error is reaching for creams while ignoring the underlying cause.

Over-the-counter creams may temporarily soothe discomfort, yet ignoring the underlying constipation and straining ensures hemorrhoids return. Prolonged use of steroid creams can dangerously thin the skin, meaning these treatments are strictly for short-term relief.

However, the most critical error patients make is assuming any rectal bleeding is simply hemorrhoids. While most cases are benign, dismissing bleeding as trivial can be fatal, as other serious conditions, including bowel cancer, mimic these symptoms. Dr Bakhtiar warns that while hemorrhoids are often harmless, specific signs must never be ignored.

The stakes are high in the UK, where more than 2,400 individuals under 50 are diagnosed with bowel cancer annually. This figure has surged by 25 per cent over the last decade, a trend researchers link to shifting modern diets and lifestyles. Early detection remains the only path to effective treatment, and for many, the first warning sign is noticing blood during a bowel movement.

Dr Bakhtiar urges immediate medical attention if you experience a change in bowel habits lasting longer than a few weeks, observe blood mixed within the stool rather than just on toilet paper, notice dark or tarry stools, suffer unexplained weight loss, or feel persistent tiredness that could indicate anemia from ongoing blood loss. New symptoms appearing after age 40 or a family history of bowel cancer also demand a thorough assessment.

"The principle I give every patient is simple: rectal bleeding deserves an examination, and you shouldn't make assumptions," says Dr Bakhtiar. "It is usually something minor, but it is not something to self diagnose.