Many suffer from it silently, without telling anyone about it. Piles, or swollen blood vessels in and around the anus and lower rectum that stretch under pressure symptomized most commonly by bleeding, is still considered a taboo subject. With fast-paced progress in medical science, however, piles is now being recognized more judiciously and scientifically at par with other medical problems.
Whereas on one hand, awareness on the ailment, and on the fact that treatments are in fact available to alleviate it has increased, on the other hand, it has also led to the mushrooming of quacks making tall claims without any substance.
Piles or hemorrhoids are very common in both men and women. According to available data, about half of the population has hemorrhoids by the age of 50. Hemorrhoids are also common among pregnant women. The pressure of the fetus in the abdomen, as well as hormonal changes, cause the hemorrhoidal vessels to enlarge. These vessels are also placed under severe pressure during childbirth. For most women, however, hemorrhoids caused by pregnancy are a temporary problem.
Recent researches in India have now established that the herb,...