Show Me WherePictures for clearer appointments

Piles, anal fissure and anal fistula · Help and support

Help with understanding your piles, fissure or fistula appointment

Your team can explain what your examination or scan found, the choices available and the next steps. Ask them to show you on the model what your results mean.

Open the explorer Read the guide

If you feel unwell or you are worried, ask a pharmacist or contact your GP. For urgent help, call NHS 111, or use NHS 111 online (111.nhs.uk) or the NHS App. In an emergency, call 999. For health information, see the NHS website (nhs.uk) or the NHS App.

Your GP or hospital team can explain what your examination or scan found, the choices available and the next steps. Bleeding from your bottom should always be checked by a GP, even if you think it is piles. If you have had a procedure, use the contact number the hospital gave you if you have any problems.

Someone to talk to

Words you may hear

Piles (haemorrhoids)
Swollen cushions of blood vessels in or around the back passage.
Internal and external piles
Internal piles are inside the back passage; external piles are outside, around the opening.
Grade of piles
A number from 1 to 4 for piles inside, describing how far they come down: from staying inside (1) to staying outside (4).
Anal fissure
A small tear in the skin lining the opening of the back passage.
Acute and chronic
Short-term (acute) means it started recently; long-term (chronic) means it has lasted more than about 6 weeks.
Anal fistula
A small tunnel between the inside of the back passage and the skin near the opening, usually after an abscess.
Abscess
A painful collection of pus.
Sphincter muscles
Two rings of muscle around the anal canal that keep you in control of wind and poo.
Continence
Being able to control when you pass wind or poo.
Proctoscopy
A look inside the back passage with a short, thin tube with a light.
Banding
Putting a tight elastic band around the base of a pile so that it shrinks and falls off.
Seton
A thin thread put through a fistula to let it drain.
Fistulotomy
An operation to open a fistula so that it heals from the inside.
MRI scan
A scan using a strong magnet that shows the muscles and the path of a fistula.

Trusted information

The explorer is a simplified illustration for a conversation with your team. It cannot interpret your report, make a diagnosis or tell you which treatment is right.