piles

Piles, commonly known as hemorrhoids, are swollen vascular cushions in the anal canal. They can be internal (within the rectum) or external (beneath the skin around the anus). Symptoms include bleeding during bowel movements, a prolapsing lump, itching, and tenderness. They arise from increased pressure on the venous cushions due to straining, constipation or diarrhea, pregnancy, obesity, or aging. Risk factors include prolonged sitting, heavy lifting, and a family history. Diagnosis is usually clinical; anoscopy or sigmoidoscopy may be used if symptoms warrant. Treatment emphasizes symptom relief and hygiene: high-fiber diet with fluids, stool softeners, topical therapies, and sitz baths. Persistent cases may require rubber band ligation, sclerotherapy, infrared coagulation, or hemorrhoidectomy. Prevention centers on regular bowel habits and hydration.

Construction piles are long structural elements driven or cast into the ground to transfer loads to deeper, more stable soil or rock. They can be timber, concrete, steel, or composite materials. End-bearing piles rest on a firm stratum; friction piles derive support from skin friction with surrounding soil. Common types include driven piles and cast-in-place piles such as drilled shafts. Installation methods include hammer or vibrohammer driving, and boring with on-site concrete. Design considers soil stratigraphy, anticipated loads, dynamic effects, and group behavior of multiple piles. Pile foundations are favored in weak or variable soils, high groundwater, or when shallow foundations are impractical. Advantages include high capacity and minimal excavation; limitations include noise, vibration, and potential installation difficulties.

Other uses of the term include a simple heap of objects. In computing, a stack is a data structure similar to a pile in its last-in, first-out order.