Compared to other diseases, anal and colon health is particularly easy to overlook by modern people. This is because hemorrhoids and fistulas, which are typical anal diseases, and colorectal cancer, which are cancerous diseases, have no symptoms unless they have progressed to a certain extent. However, all of these can lead to a decrease in the quality of life and, in severe cases, the death of a person, so it is necessary to take an active approach to treatment, prevention, and management.
First, in the case of hemorrhoids accompanied by symptoms such as anal prolapse, bleeding, and itching, it is largely divided into external hemorrhoids and internal hemorrhoids. It is divided into stages 1 to 4 depending on the progress of the disease, and it is surprisingly often the case that there are no symptoms even at stage 3 or 4. Therefore, depending on the symptoms and condition of the patient, hemorrhoids are usually treated with drugs first, but if the patient feels discomfort or pain, surgical treatment may be applied.
A fistula, on the other hand, refers to an inflammation of the anal gland that forms a path for pus to come out of the anus. It is accompanied by pus-like discharge from around the anus, swelling, pain, and fever, and like hemorrhoids, it is often discovered late because symptoms that can be a major problem do not appear. However, unlike hemorrhoids, fistulas require surgical treatment unconditionally. This is because as time goes by, it develops from a simple fistula to a complex fistula, and the condition worsens.
In addition, since fistula is a hidden disease, it is necessary to accurately diagnose it using ‘anal ultrasound’. Anal ultrasonography is one of the screening methods used in diagnosing anal diseases, and it is effective in finding hidden anal diseases. In particular, it is excellent in diagnosing anal sphincter condition and fecal incontinence factors, which are difficult to detect only with the naked eye or digital rectal examination, quickly and accurately diagnosing anal abscesses, and preventing misdiagnosis. Nevertheless, anal ultrasound has the advantage that the cost burden of patients is not high as medical benefit benefits are also applied. Therefore, if you need to go to the hospital for anal disease, it is recommended to check in advance whether anal ultrasound is available at the hospital.
Following anal disease, colorectal cancer, a colorectal disease, also has almost no symptoms even at stage 2 or 3, so prevention is the most important thing. I recommend. More than 90-95% of colorectal cancer is caused by colon polyps. Therefore, only regular colonoscopy and removal of colon polyps can sufficiently prevent colorectal cancer. However, as the polyp removal performed during the examination is difficult to perform, it is necessary to select a medical institution with medical staff with abundant clinical experience.
Lastly, we recommend that you practice ‘sitz bath’ for regular anal health care. A sitz bath is excellent for improving hemorrhoids, which feel uncomfortable due to swollen blood vessels. In fact, regular sitz baths often improve the symptoms of hemorrhoids and are effective in preventing hemorrhoids. In addition, the sitz bath is very effective for the dentition where the anus is torn. Sitz bathing is not only helpful in preventing and treating anal diseases, but is also the most appropriate preventive method that can be easily done to prevent recurrence and manage anal health. If you consistently apply it in lukewarm water for only 3 to 5 minutes a day, you can get great help in keeping your anal health.
(Writing: Lee Seong-geun, CEO of Jangpyeon Oriental Surgery Clinic)
