All episodes
S1 · Ep. 1E
Piles, Pride & the Matatu Seat
Haemorrhoids are one of the most common things surgeons see, and one of the least talked about. We get into causes, myths, home care and when you actually need surgery.
Show notes
Haemorrhoids (piles) are swollen blood vessels in and around the anus. Almost everyone has them at some point. Very few people want to talk about them, which is exactly why we recorded a whole episode.
In this episode
- Why “sitting on a cold/hot stone” is not the cause (sorry, Mum)
- The real risk factors: constipation, straining, long hours sitting, pregnancy and low-fibre diets
- Why scrolling on your phone on the toilet is a surgical issue
- Home care that actually works, and the “cures” that don’t
- What banding and haemorrhoidectomy involve, and what recovery feels like
Key takeaways
- Fibre and water first. Most mild piles improve with softer stools and less straining.
- Don’t sit on the toilet for more than about five minutes. Leave the phone outside.
- Bleeding is not automatically “just piles”. Dark blood, blood mixed with stool, weight loss or a change in bowel habit needs a proper check-up.
When to see a doctor
See a doctor if you have rectal bleeding that doesn’t settle, severe pain, a lump that won’t go back in, or any change in your bowel habit lasting more than a few weeks, especially if you are over 40 or have a family history of bowel cancer.
Sample episode for the test site. Audio is a placeholder.