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A sentinel pile is also known as a sentinel anal skin tag or rectal skin tag, and, for the more medically minded, may also be called a hypertrophied papilla or fibro-epithelial polyp.
Sentinel piles are common and usually harmless growths that hang off the skin around the outside of the anus at the front edge at the junction of the anus and the perineum. It is not contagious, but may be due to a lesion, inflammation, anal injury or skin left behind after a haemorrhoid treatment.
More generally, anal skin tags are not a risk to health, but they can cause issues with cleanliness after going to the toilet. This is mainly due to the fact that they can trap moisture and become irritated. Anal tags can be found around the anal periphery and may be single or multiple. The anterior one is called the sentinel tag.
Whilst they may be unsightly, they shouldn’t cause the same problems that are associated with suffering from internal and external haemorrhoids.
There are a number of procedures available ranging from surgical to non-surgical. It’s likely that the surgical option would be the most relevant with a small procedure to remove it under a local anaesthetic (some surgeons do prefer to do this under a general anaesthetic instead). Wren Healthcare do not treat anal tags however our nurses can refer
Internal haemorrhoids are actually swollen veins and their support tissues, situated in the lower part of your rectum. Sometimes the blood vessels and associated tissues become weak and stretch so thin that they bulge and become irritated
External haemorrhoids are different from internal haemorrhoids in two important ways: the first and most obvious difference is where they are located – external haemorrhoids, as the name suggests, are on the outside of your anus. Internal haemorrhoids are on the inside.
A thrombosed haemorrhoid, is the medical term for a haemorrhoid that has become swollen due to a small blood clot within the haemorrhoid. The word ‘thrombosis’ means clotting.
Internal haemorrhoids can “prolapse.” If they prolapse, they become swollen and protrude outside your rectum. They can be quite uncomfortable when this happens and are more likely to be prone to bleeding.
If you suffer with haemorrhoids, then understanding how the medical profession grades the different sizes and nature of your piles could be vital in how you approach the treatment of your specific condition.
Electrotherapy is a non-invasive non-surgical treatment that can be used to treat internal piles and, for most people, enable you to get back to your life on the same day. Please get in touch to discuss your treatment options with a specialist nurse.
No preparation (e.g. no enema)
No anaesthesia
Treatment is carried out in the comfort of your own home
Non-invasive — no cutting or needles
No need to travel to clinic or hospital — our nurses come to you.
Each treatment takes 10-30 minutes
90% of patients who shared their experience resumed normal activities the same day
Many of our patients are cleared after one treatment.
0333 305 8964
Suffering with haemorrhoids? Need some advice? View our lifestyle booklet for advice on diet, exercise, hydration to help manage your symptoms.
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