No, it's not for piles. The name sounds like it might be though. Liquid Anbesol is actually used for relief from mouth ulcers, teething pains and denture irritation. I have used it occasionally for mouth ulcers, and also when my wisdom teeth were coming through and causing me a lot of pain.
You can get it from Boots, and probably most chemists. In Boots it costs £2.99. I got mine from the pharmacy-bit of Boots, and had to ask for it behind the counter, as it wasn't available on the shelf. I'm not sure if this is always the case, but if you can't find it on the shelf it would be worth asking. I think you can now get an Anbesol gel as well, I don't know what that's like.
It comes very simply packaged in a little white box with red, blue and green writing on it. There are instructions on one side of the box, as well as a more detailed sheet inside the box. The little glass bottle contains 6.5ml, which lasts for ages as you don't need to use much at a time. Again, the instructions for use are on the label.
The liquid itself is a clear browny-yellowy colour, and it doesn't smell or taste all that pleasant in my opinion. It has a sort of 'clinical', 'medical' taste to it that is hard to describe. Of course, once you have applied it you won't be able to taste it for very long anyway.
This product can be used up to eight times a day, and to apply, it advises you to rub (undiluted) onto the affected area with a clean fingertip. This can be a bit more tricky than it sounds. First of all, being a runny liquid as opposed to a gel, it is harder to get a reasonable amount on your finger and then actually get it in your mouth onto the sore spot. Sometimes you might have to repeat the a couple of times to make sure you have applied a sufficient amount. Also, ulcers always seem to appear in really awkward places, and sometimes it can be hard to apply using your fingers. I use a cotton bud, as this can help.
Although not keen on the taste or smell, I would recommend this product because it does work very well. It doesn't speed up recovery or anything like that, but almost as soon as you apply it, the area goes completely numb. I have used products like Bonjela in the past, but the past relief I have experienced from Anbesol was faster and much more intense. You still need to apply every few hours, as it wears off, but I don't think you will need to apply it any more often than similar products.
On the whole, I think this is good value for money, and the most effective pain relief product for the mouth that I have used. In fact, the only reason it gets 'good' instead of 'excellent' is because it is slightly difficult to use.
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