The small tunnel connecting the infectious gland inside anus with the skin openign around the anus is anal fistula. Main anal fistula symptoms are swelling and pain around anus. There are numerous tiny glands present right inside the anus. Sometimes infection and clogging takes place in these glands resulting in an abscess. It is these abscesses that have a fifty percent probability of turning into anal fistulas.
Understanding the causes of anal fistulas:
Mainly the cause for anal fistula is clogging of anal glands. There are also other causes for anal fistulas, such as:
- Crohn’s disease, that is, a condition in which the intestine experiences an inflammatory disease.
- Sometimes the radiations for treating cancer can become a cause for anal fistulas.
- Diseases transmitting sexually may also be the cause for anal fistulas.
- Furthermore, trauma and cancer are also a rare cause for anal fistulas.
Anal fistula symptoms:
The symptoms of anal fistulas are very similar to the symptoms of anal fissures or anal skin tags. This is also why it is always necessary that you pay a visit to your doctor for diagnosing the exact condition.
Following are some anal fistula symptoms:
- Swelling around the anus and extreme pain is the first indication that you may be suffering from anal fistulas.
- Very frequent anal abscesses are another symptom for anal fistula.
- Foul-smelling pus is present in fistulas. Draining of this pus and bleeding is another main symptom
- The regular feeling of fatigue can be an uncommon symptom for anal fistula.
- In addition, pain and blood during bowel movement are a natural symptom of anal fistula.
Treating anal fistulas:
Anal fistula surgery is the most common treatment when it comes to this particular condition. The colon and rectal surgeon is the person you need to meet when it comes to treating anal fistulas.
When we talk about anal fistulas treatment, there are many options like:
- Fistulotomy – This is a surgical procedure in which the fistula is cut along the length. The cutting of the opens it and makes it heal like any flat scar.
- Seton techniques – The surgeon could initially advise putting a seton if the fistula extends through a sizable section of the sphincter muscle. A piece of surgical thread that your surgeon leaves in the fistula for weeks to keep it open is seton.
- Advancement flap procedure – This procedure involves cutting or scraping the fistula out and sealing the hole where it enters the gut with a flap of tissue. This tissue comes from within the final segment of the colon, the rectum.
Final Note:
Anal fistulas can be infectious and very painful. Depending on the severity of the condition it is always a better choice to opt for anal fistula surgery if necessary. And the access to the best professional will be ensure quality treatment. There is no good reason to ignore the pain and avoid visiting the doctor. So if you are facing the trouble and pain of , make an appointment with the doctor at the earliest.
