bottoms up: piles and other problems
by Jenny Bryan
coming out
One in three people suffers from piles at some time in their life and two thirds of these never seek treatment from doctors, either because they don't realise that something can be done or they'd rather suffer in silence.
At St George's Hospital, London, Mr Leicester runs a 'one stop bottom shop' where people can get their bottom problems checked out quickly and with minimal fuss.
'People sit and talk about their cervical smears and breast lumps, but they won't talk about their piles. A vast number don't even tell their partner they've got piles because they're too embarrassed. We've got a bit of community spirit here. Everyone knows they've all got bottom problems, they're not going to talk to each other about it, but they all know they've got the same thing,' he explains.
watch out for...
Blood on toilet paper or in the lavatory bowl after a bowel movement is a common sign of piles. But it can occasionally mean something more serious, such as bowel cancer. So this is another good reason to seek medical help, rather than hope the whole embarrassing problem will go away.
Other symptoms of piles include:
- painful or difficult bowel movements
- discomfort when sitting down
- swelling around the anus.
Find out more about warning signs in don't panic.
(January 2001, resources updated January 2005)
