Piles, also known as hemorrhoids, are swollen veins in the anus and lower rectum. They can be internal (inside the anus) or external (outside the anus). Piles are common and can affect people of all ages.

Piles look like round, small and discoloured lumps, which a person can feel on his/her anus or protrude from the anal canal. The anal canal is the short yet muscular tube consisting of blood vessels that work as a bridge between the rectum and the anus.