Frequently Asked Questions
No, considering every symptoms of anorectal region is not only incorrect, but is dangerous too. As many patients who think that their symptoms are due to piles and do a self medication or ignore the symptoms completely may land up with trouble. There are almost 2 dozen ailments which can occur in and around the anorectal region and all of them have different treatment strategy. It could be life-threatening if one has got a cancer of the rectum and is being ignored or ill-treated just because it has many symptoms, which looks like those of piles or hemorrhoids.
No. It is not necessary that every anal pathology should present with bleeding from the stools. The symptoms may be any of the following.
- Pain in or around the anus.
- Pus or other discharge.
- Itching in or around the anus.
- Burning or pain during passing stools.
- Presence of swelling in or around the anus.
- Constipation.
- Change in the bowel habit (frequent or less stools per day)
- Difficult or obstructed stool passage.
Yes, though majority of the patients suffering from anorectal ailments are grown up people, certain disease may affect the children also. These may be inborn, acquired due to faulty diet or toilet habits, or could be due to some other pathologies of the body. These include anal fissures, rectal polyps or prolapse of the rectum. Many children suffer from constipation or bizarre stool habits.
Yes. The anorectal area is the distal most part of our digestive system, and any disturbance in this system is reflected at the anorectal region. It cannot be overemphasized to say that most of the anorectal diseases are created due to our negligence and irregularity about the food and its consumption.
The food containing more spices, chili pepper, fried or junk foods are difficult to digest and thus disturb the normal bowel functions. It is quite evident that people suffering from anorectal pathologies experience an increase in the intensity of symptoms after consumption of the above-mentioned foods.
It is true that pain attracts our attention to attain medical consultation, however it does not hold true for anorectal pathologies. There are certain anorectal diseases, which are painless. Most common are the piles, the cancer of the rectum and anal canal and the inflammatory bowel disease do not produce any kind of pain or discomfort in their initial days.
EXAMINATION IS A MUST FOR CORRECT DIAGNOSIS!
It is a misconception that in every case, the patient is advised to go for surgical procedure. The fact is that only 10% of patients really require a surgical intervention or operation. Rest of them can very well be treated with medications, dietary regulations and a regular follow-up.
Unfortunately, patients do not seek medical advice in the early stages of the disease where most of these symptoms can be successfully treated by conservative approach and when they report to a proctologist, the disease is already reached to a very advanced stage and needs a surgery.