6 Best Yoga Poses & Exercises To Deal With Piles

Yoga has proven benefits for your health, but can it be useful to help you manage specific health conditions like haemorrhoids? Yes. Yoga can specifically help with conditions like haemorrhoids by improving blood flow to the region and by strengthening the anal sphincter muscles. This is primarily how yoga helps you manage and even prevent piles. In this blog, we’ll delve into six best yoga poses that can help you manage piles. But first, let’s take a closer look at what piles are and how they can impact your daily life.

What Are Piles (Haemorrhoids)?

An understanding of piles or haemorrhoids is important before you get into the yoga poses because the type of haemorrhoids you have determines the yoga poses that may be beneficial for you. To put it simply, haemorrhoids, otherwise known as piles is a condition where the veins in the lower rectum or anus get swollen. 

This generally happens when people suffer from severe constipation and have to put immense pressure during bowel movements to make stool pass. The swollen veins in the anal region can cause irritation and even bleeding. This is where the type of haemorrhoid you have comes into play. There are essentially two types of piles, internal piles and external piles.

• Internal Piles: This type of piles are generally asymptomatic, meaning they do not cause pain or irritation. However, they cause bleeding during bowel movements. Internal piles are noticeable by the bright red bleeding it causes during bowel movements. In case of internal piles, it can worsen constipation symptoms, and as such, it requires medical attention. In advanced cases, internal piles can bulge out of your anus during bowel movements and may require physical assistance to be pushed back inside.
• External Piles: External piles are the ones that are notorious for symptoms that affect your daily life. The symptoms include irritation, pain, swelling, and tenderness around the anus. The swollen veins in this case are formed in the lower rectum or around the anus under the skin. They can be visible outside your body and can make it difficult for you to sit and go through daily life. External piles are also painful and require medical support.

The core symptoms of haemorrhoids include:

• Irritation in and around the anus
• Bleeding during bowel movements
• Worsening constipation that doesn’t subside
• Pain in and around the anal region
• Visible lumps around the anus
• Inflammation and tenderness in the skin
• Mucus discharge after bowel movements

Can Yoga & Exercise Help With Piles?

Yes, yoga and targeted exercise can help you manage piles. It is not a cure for the condition, but it can help you manage the symptoms and promote healing. However, it is important to note that, just like any exercise, the form and consistency play a major role in determining how effective yoga can be in managing piles.

To understand how yoga can help with piles symptoms, you need to understand that piles are often linked to lifestyle conditions like constipation, digestive problems, and a sedentary lifestyle. These factors put increased pressure on the rectal area of your body. Yoga and exercise help add movement to your sedentary lifestyle, which can have positive effects on your health.

The positive effects include:

• Improves blood circulation in the pelvic and anal region
• Stimulates digestion, which can help make bowel movements smoother
• Relieves constipation, which is one of the biggest triggers for piles
• Helps reduce straining during bowel movements by strengthening the abdominal and pelvic floor muscles
• Helps lower stress levels, which can indirectly impact gut health and bowel patterns

So, specific yoga exercises can help you ease pressure on the swollen veins in your rectal area. The yoga exercises can work as supportive long-term management for the symptoms. However, they are not an independent treatment option for haemorrhoids. You should get a medical evaluation for your condition and treatment if your problems persist.

So, if you are trying to manage your condition at home, check out these 6 best exercises and yoga for piles and fissures.

6 Best Yoga Poses & Exercises For Piles

1. Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose)

The Baddha Konasana is a yoga pose that helps improve blood flow to the pelvic region. It helps in reducing abdominal discomfort and supports better digestion in people. The asana is also very easy to do and can be repeated multiple times a day. Here’s how to do it.

• Sit upright on the floor
• Bring the soles of your feet together
• Touch both the soles of your feet together while trying to touch your knees to the ground
• Keep holding your toes with your hands
• If you want you can perform this exercise while sitting against a wall to keep your spine straight

Ideally, you should try to hold this pose for one to three minutes and try this exercise two to three times per day. You should not try to push your knees to the floor if you feel pain or pressure. Slowly try to increase the amount you can push per day, rather than trying to push yourself in one day itself.

2. Balasana (Child’s Pose)

The child’s pose is one of the more popular yoga asanas and it is known for its beneficial effects on health. The asana helps relieve pressure in the lower abdomen and can help improve circulation to the pelvic and anal region. Additionally, the pressure to the lower abdomen can help you relieve symptoms of constipation. Here’s how to perform this yoga pose:

• Kneel on the floor and sit back on your heels
• Bend forward until your forehead is touching the ground
• Extend your arms forward and place them alongside your body
• If you cannot touch your forehead to the ground at once, don’t push yourself too hard, just bend as much as you can and continue practicing everyday until you can touch your forehead on the floor.

You should hold this pose for two to five minutes and try breathing deeply and calmly while you’re in the pose. You can also perform this pose two to three times a day. It is important to be patient with this pose and relax as much as possible when you’re holding the pose. It will help you get the most benefits.

3. Pranayama (Deep Breathing)

Pranayama is one of the most beneficial yoga exercises there is. It is a type of deep breathing exercise that has benefits for both your physical and mental health. It can help lower stress levels for your body and help you relax the muscles in your body. Often when your body is in stress, the muscles in your body tense up. Practicing pranayama and focusing on nothing other than your breath for a few minutes a day can help you lower your stress and potentially improve your bowel movements, especially if you have constipation. Here’s how to perform pranayama.

• Sit comfortably wherever you feel comfortable
• Inhale deeply through your nose as much as you can
• Make sure your abdomen is expanded when you inhale from your abdomen
• Exhale slowly through the mouth steadily

This is one of the easiest yoga asanas you can do for managing your piles symptoms. The best practice is to perform breathing for five to ten minutes. You can perform pranayama up to three times a day whenever you have the time.

4. Pawanmuktasana (Wind Relieving Pose)

As the name suggests, this pose helps you release gas and reduce bloating. It also aids digestion and reduces the pressure your body undergoes during bowel movements. If you’re suffering from haemorrhoids, these benefits can help you stop the condition from worsening. Here’s how to perform the wind-relieving pose.

• Lie down on your back and be comfortable
• Bring your knees towards your chest
• Take your hands and clasp them over your knees
• Tightly clasp your hands so that your knees are pushed into your abdomen
• All the while, make sure your head is relaxed and placed on the floor

This is a relatively advanced pose compared to the other exercises, and you need to hold it for only 30 to 60 seconds at a time. If you feel the need to pass gas during this pose, please do so, and know that it is completely natural. The purpose of this pose is specifically to remove gas and bloating from your digestive system so that the pressure they create on your excretory system can be relieved. You can perform this pose three to five times a day since it takes only one minute.

5. Viparita Karani (Legs Up The Wall Pose)

This is among the best poses to help you manage the symptoms of haemorrhoids. If you are suffering from symptoms like inflammation, discomfort, and irritation, consider trying this pose. It can help you reduce inflammation in the anal region and manage discomfort in the anal region. Additionally, this yoga pose helps improve blood circulation in the region. Here’s how to perform this pose.

• Lie down facing a wall
• Lift your legs up and put them against the wall
• Keep your back touching the floor
• Keep your arms flat on the ground by your sides
• Make sure you are positioned such that your buttocks are touching or almost touching the wall

This pose may be difficult to do at first, but it has great benefits that can help you manage your haemorrhoid symptoms. If you are having trouble putting your legs up straight against the wall, try to put them up as much as you can at first. Slowly over time, you can try to put your legs up straight against the wall. You should try to hold this pose for 5 to 15 minutes at a time. Since this is a difficult pose, you should practice it only once a day.

6. Pelvic Floor Exercises (Kegel Exercises)

This is not a yoga pose, but rather this is a set of exercises that can help you strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. When your pelvic floor muscles are strong, it can help you pass stool easily and improve control over your bowel movements. Additionally, it will strengthen your anal sphincter muscles, which can help with reducing the straining during bowel movements. Both these benefits are directly tied to healing your haemorrhoids and helping you live a comfortable life. Here’s how you perform pelvic floor exercises.

• Sit down or lie down comfortably
• Tighten your anal muscles
• The key is to tighten them in a way like you’re trying to stop passing gas
• Hold the muscles in the tightened position for five seconds, then release the muscles and wait for ten seconds
• Repeat this tightening and loosening process up to 15 times in one go

Like pranayama, this is a very good exercise for you to practice daily. It also has proven benefits for your health and can be practiced at any time of the day.

Precautions While Doing Yoga for Piles

There are some precautions that you should follow while performing the exercises mentioned above for piles. Here are detailed guidelines on when you should or should not perform these exercises.

When to Avoid Yoga

• If you have severe pain or flare-ups, you should not perform the yoga exercises then. Even though many of the exercises are there to help you get relief. However, it is not safe to exercise until the symptoms settle a little bit.
• If you have had surgery, you should not perform yoga exercises. This is because after surgery you should give time to your body to heal. You should follow your doctor’s advice regarding when to start exercising again.
• You should avoid yoga if the exercises are not improving your symptoms and causing more discomfort. If performing the exercises is increasing your strain or causing a sharp pain in your anal region, you should stop performing the exercises immediately.

Intensity & Posture Tips

• Don’t force yourself when stretching while performing the yoga poses, make sure you stretch gently and in an controlled manner
• Don’t hold your breath while performing the exercises. Make sure you are not straining either. You should try to perform the exercises as easily as possible
• Prioritise correct posture while performing the exercises. As these are yoga poses, holding the poses correctly is important for the exercises to offer the benefits required for your health
• If any of the poses are requiring you to put too much pressure on the anal region, modify it or reduce the duration of the pose
• If you feel too much pressure in any pose, use cushions, blankets, or walls to make the exercise more comfortable for you. This will not make the exercise less effective for you

Final Takeaway

Yoga is a great way to live a healthy life. If you are suffering from haemorrhoids, sedentary lifestyle can play an important role in the development of piles. Adding movement to your daily life with yoga poses can help you improve your symptoms. Additionally, the yoga poses mentioned in this blog are known to help you improve blood flow to the pelvic region. It can help you promote healing in your body. As mentioned, the yoga poses must be practiced easily and comfortably. If the exercise is making you feel discomfort, stop doing it. 

Lastly, while exercises can be a great way to promote healing, they cannot be treated as an independent treatment option for piles. If your symptoms persist, you must get proper medical treatment from specialist like gastroenterologists at the MASSH Super Speciality Hospital. We specialise in minimally invasive and lifestyle focused treatment options for haemorrhoids. For more information about our treatment options, set up a consultation with our specialists today.

Check out our website to learn more about our treatment options or visit us today to consult with our specialists. If you are experiencing severe piles pain and need both physical and emotional support, MASSH Hospital could be a great option for your healthcare needs.

Medically Reviewed By 

MASSH Super Speciality Hospital Gastroenterology Team

Our highly experienced gastroenterologists have expertise in advanced treatment options for haemorrhoids. Their clinical focus includes the management of complex haemorrhoid-related medical complications. Treatments are often accompanied by lifestyle and metabolic guidelines for long-term sustainable haemorrhoid management.

FAQs: Yoga & Exercises for Piles

1. Can yoga cure piles permanently?

No, yoga cannot cure piles permanently. Anyone that claims it can is not telling the truth. Yoga can be a supportive treatment that can promote healing and symptomatic relief, but it cannot cure piles permanently. Medical treatment is required in advanced cases of piles almost always.

2. Which yoga pose is best for piles?

There is not one pose that’s best for piles. It is important to understand the underlying causes for your piles and then accordingly perform the yoga poses that can help you address the root causes. In general, yoga poses like pawanmuktasana, balasana, and viprita karani poses are generally considered good for digestion and they help improve blood circulation to the pelvic and anal region.

3. How long does it take for yoga to show results in piles?

Consistently performing yoga everyday can help you see some results in helping you manage your piles symptoms in one to two weeks. The key here is consistently doing the exercises every day as much as directed by medical professionals. It can help you get the therapeutic effects best.

4. Is it safe to do yoga during piles pain?

If you are having intense pain or serious flare-ups, you should consider not performing yoga poses. This is because performing yoga during flare-ups has the potential to worsen your symptoms. If you have mild pain, it is safe to do yoga, but only with gentle poses. Anything that can or is causing strain to your pelvic or anal region should be avoided.

5. Can exercise worsen piles?

If you are performing high-intensity workouts, such as heavy weight lifting and strength training that requires straining, it can worsen your piles. This is why low-impact yoga is recommended to help you manage piles symptoms.

6. Are pelvic floor exercises effective for piles?

Yes, pelvic floor exercises are effective for piles in helping you strengthen your anal sphincter muscles and pelvic floor muscles. When these muscles are stronger, it can help you pass stool better and relieve some symptoms of constipation, which can help you promote healing from haemorrhoids.

7. When should I see a doctor for piles?

You should see a doctor for piles, if you have recurrent bleeding during bowel movements, severe pain in the anal region, or if you have haemorrhoids that are bulging out of your anus during bowel movements that need to be pushed back inside.

Medical Disclaimer

This blog is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified gastroenterologist in Delhi for proper evaluation and treatment recommendations.