5 Best Yoga Poses for Piles: 15-Minute Routine for Haemorrhoid Relief

Piles, or haemorrhoids, are swollen veins in the rectum or anus that cause pain, itching, and discomfort during bowel movements. Yoga won't make piles disappear on its own, but it directly addresses two of their biggest triggers — poor circulation and constipation — which makes it a genuinely useful daily habit alongside diet and lifestyle changes. For a fuller picture of fast relief options, see our guide to the best way to cure piles in 3 days.

If you're dealing with piles, these five yoga poses, combined into a simple 15-minute routine, are a good place to start.

A Quick Note Before You Begin

Yoga supports piles management — it isn't a treatment for advanced or actively bleeding piles. If you have a thrombosed external pile, heavy bleeding, or significant pain, skip the deeper stretches (especially Malasana and Paschimottanasana) until symptoms calm down, and stick to gentle, restorative poses like Viparita Karani. If symptoms persist beyond a few days, it's worth getting evaluated rather than relying on yoga alone.

1. Malasana (Garland Pose)

Why It Helps

• Improves digestion and bowel regularity
• Prevents constipation
• Strengthens the pelvic floor muscles
• Reduces pressure on the rectal veins
• Opens up hip mobility

How to Do It

1. Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width, toes turned outward.
2. Slowly bend your knees and lower your hips toward the floor into a squat.
3. Bring your palms together at your chest in a prayer position.
4. Gently press your elbows against your knees to widen the stretch.
5. Hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute, keeping your chest lifted and spine straight.

2. Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose)

Why It Helps

• Strengthens the glutes, lower back and pelvic floor
• Eases pressure on the veins around the anus
• Reduces internal and external swelling
• Promotes blood circulation

How to Do It

1. Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
2. Press your feet down and lift your hips toward the ceiling, forming a straight line from shoulders to knees.
3. Keep knees aligned with toes; engage your glutes and core.
4. Hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then lower slowly.

3. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog)

Why It Helps

• Encourages blood flow back toward the heart
• Reduces pressure in the lower body
• Improves circulation in the rectal area
• Eases inflammation
• Reduces strain from bowel movements

How to Do It

1. Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position.
2. Tuck your toes and lift your hips upward, forming an inverted V-shape.
3. Keep feet hip-width apart and hands shoulder-width apart.
4. Press your heels gently toward the floor.
5. Lengthen your spine and engage your core.
6. Hold for 1-3 minutes with deep, steady breaths.

4. Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose)

If swelling around the anal area is your main concern, this is the pose to prioritise — it's known for visibly reducing lower-body pressure.

Why It Helps

• Relaxes the pelvic muscles
• Brings comfort during severe flare-ups
• Ideal restorative pose after a long day
• Reduces swelling quickly

How to Do It

1. Sit beside a wall, then lie back and extend your legs straight up against it.
2. Rest your hips as close to the wall as comfortable, feet pointing upward.
3. Let your arms rest by your sides, palms facing up.
4. Breathe deeply and let your body relax.
5. Hold for 5-10 minutes.

5. Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend)

A forward fold that stretches the hamstrings, lower back and digestive organs — it relieves constipation by directly stimulating digestion, which is one of the key triggers behind piles flare-ups.

Why It Helps

• Gives quick relief from constipation
• Stimulates the digestive system
• Reduces straining
• Supports regular bowel movements
• Lowers the risk of haemorrhoid recurrence

How to Do It

1. Sit on an even surface with legs extended straight in front of you.
2. Inhale and lengthen your spine, sitting tall.
3. Exhale and hinge at the hips, reaching toward your feet.
4. Hold your feet or ankles without rounding your back.
5. Breathe steadily and hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Why Yoga Genuinely Helps With Piles

Regular yoga relaxes the body, eases pressure on the rectal veins, and helps prevent piles from recurring. It works because it addresses the underlying drivers of piles — poor circulation, stress, and sluggish digestion — rather than just masking symptoms. For a broader look at non-surgical management, see our guide to piles treatment without surgery.

Quick Tip: Deep Belly Breathing for Piles Relief

Diaphragmatic (deep belly) breathing calms the nervous system and lowers stress, which is itself a common piles trigger.

How to Practice It

1. Sit or lie down in a relaxed position.
2. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.
3. Inhale deeply through your nose, letting your stomach rise while your chest stays still.
4. Exhale slowly through your mouth, letting your stomach fall.
5. Repeat for 3-5 minutes, any time of day.

Pairing deep belly breathing with Malasana and Viparita Karani tends to give the best combined results.

15-Minute Yoga Routine for Piles Relief

1. Malasana (Garland Pose) — 1 minute
2. Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose) — 1 minute
3. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog) — 2 minutes
4. Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-The-Wall) — 5 minutes
5. Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend) — 1 minute
6. Deep Belly Breathing — 5 minutes

Total time: 15 minutes

Additional Tips for Managing Piles

• Practice yoga regularly, ideally in the morning
• Stay well hydrated through the day
• Maintain a fibre-rich diet — see our full guide to foods to eat and avoid in piles
• Avoid straining during bowel movements
• Take regular breaks from prolonged sitting
• Combine yoga with the other prevention habits in our guide to how to prevent piles at home

When Yoga Isn't Enough

These five poses, practised daily, can meaningfully improve comfort, digestion and swelling — and they're beginner-friendly enough for anyone to start today. But if symptoms are severe, recurring, or lasting longer than two weeks, it's time to get evaluated rather than continue managing with yoga alone. For a full overview of every treatment stage, start with our piles - a complete guide, or read about laser treatment for piles in Delhi if home and yoga-based measures haven't resolved things.

You can also see a full cost breakdown in our guide to the cost of laser surgery for piles in Delhi, or book a consultation with Dr. Kapil Agrawal for a same-week evaluation at our Lajpat Nagar or Hauz Khas clinics.