Hemorrhoids (Bawaseer) in Unani System of Medicine: A Review

Mohammad Shakeel Ansari

Abstract

Hemorrhoids are one of the most common anorectal disorders encountered in the general population as well as in clinical practice. The term “Hemorrhoid” was most likely first used by Hippocrates (Buqrat) to explain the bleeding from the veins of the anus. It is derived from two Greek words “haima" means blood, “rhoos" means flowing. Bawaseer are dilated veins occurring in relation to the anal canal. In normal population the disease is recognized as the term “Pile” which is derived from the Latin word “Pila” that means “a ball or a mass. The better word to be used is pile as it is not always associated with bleeding. John Andrene remarks that common people call them piles while French calls them figs, means to clot. At least 50% of population experience problem of symptomatic hemorrhoids during their life. Hemorrhoids are the most common (30-40%) cause of lower G.I. bleeding in India. The term hemorrhoids should be restricted to clinical situation in which anal “cushions” are abnormal and cause symptoms.

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