Exercises to Help With Painful Piles

Piles are often painful, but exercise can help.headache image by Jarek Miarka from Fotolia.com

Piles, or hemorrhoids, are inflammations of blood vessels in the anal canal, and are caused by a number of things: irregular bowel habits, obesity, and sitting down for extended periods of time. They can be very painful, and can be relieved by soothing creams and drugs. However, there are a number of exercises that you can do to help relieve the pain of piles.

Walking

Piles are often aggravated by extensive periods of sitting down. Therefore, walking is a great way of increasing blood flow around the anus and relieving pressure. Go for a brisk walk every hour or two for 10 to 15 minutes. As well as helping to relieve the pain of piles it will increase your overall health and fitness.

There are two main exercises that you can do that tone, as well as helping relieve the pain of piles. Kneel on the floor, making sure your back is straight and horizontal. Inhale and suck your stomach in, holding for 30 seconds.

Another helpful exercise, as suggested by Hemorrhoid Relief, is to tighten the buttocks while inhaling, and hold for several seconds, relaxing them as you exhale. This should be repeated several times.

Stretching exercises have the added benefit of strengthening your back and spine as well as alleviating the pain of piles. Lie on your stomach with your arms straightened forward. Lift your shoulders and head off the ground and hold for 30 seconds. Repeat several times. Stretching helps to lower blood pressure and ease piles.