Frequently Asked Questions

There are many queries and misconceptions about anorectal diseases. It is difficult for the patient to decide what should be the best approach for him. Here is the list of most commonly asked questions by our patients.

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.

It is almost incorrect to treat the ano-rectal diseases merely by listening to the symptoms and coming to a correct diagnosis. There are many diseases, which can only be diagnosed by examination of the inner part of the anus. And ignoring a local anal examination could be dangerous too as many a time it could happen that the patient might be suffering from a more complex disease and whose treatment is delayed just because it was confused with a common anal pathology.

EXAMINATION IS A MUST FOR CORRECT DIAGNOSIS!

There are many reasons for this symptom. A prolapsing pile, rectal polyp, rectal prolapse or cancer of the anal canal can present with this symptom.

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.

This is an incorrect thinking. Most of the ano-rectal diseases are completely curable by surgical treatment. However, there are certain rules which are to be followed after anal surgeries like change in the food habit, regular bowel activity, regular reviews with the operating surgeons to avoid any recurrence or relapse of the symptoms. But the irony is that it is thought that once the patient got himself operated, he does not need to follow all these precautions mentioned above. This negligence can cause him dear with recurrence. So if you have been operated for any anal pathology, be in touch with your surgeon frequently. He will help you out to avoid such nagging recurrences.
Include more amount of fibers in your diet. Fruits like apple, pear, banana, orange and carrot, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach and other green leafy vegetable should be used in impunity. Take your meals at a fixed and regular time. Don’t consume spicy, fried or highly seasoned food. Chili pepper should be avoided. Regular exercises, relieving anxiety and constipation goes a long way to help out relieving the symptoms of anal region. A small amount of laxative like milk of magnesia, psyllium husk or lactulose can be consumed at the bedtime to relieve constipation. Sitting in a tub containing warm water and soaking the entire anal area is soothing.
This procedure of staplers to curb hemorrhoids is gaining popularity these days. However, there is some problem attendant to it and this procedure is found to have more incidence of recurrence than the conventional hemorrhoidal surgery. Few very uncommon and life threatening complications have been reported with this procedure. So before choosing this procedure for yourself, get assured that you are being operated by a surgeon who has got a good experience in this technique so that he can avoid such formidable complications. This procedure is quiet expensive when compared with any other surgical option for hemorrhoids.
Still have questions? Please contact us anytime! We look forward to hearing from you.

FAQ