You know that smoking increases your risk for diseases you don't have yet, such as lung cancer. But why bother quitting just because something might happen? Well, if you’re in pain from diverticulitis, that’s a good reason to quit right now.
You’re considering annual fecal tests rather than a once-a-decade colonoscopy to screen for colon cancer But your doctor removes abnormal growths — such as polyps — during a colonoscopy. A fecal test can’t do that. Is polyp removal important?
Pain in your anus could be more than a pain in the neck. Anal pain may be due to a benign condition or it may be the sign of something seriously wrong. Find out why you have anal pain and what you can do about it.
If you've been diagnosed with diverticuitis, your intestines are full of little pouches called diverticula that can become inflamed or infected and cause intense pain and other disruptive symptoms. With care and planning, you can minimize flares.
Pilonidal disease isn’t well known, but it’s not uncommon. In fact, if you have hair in your buttocks area or sit a lot for your job, you’re at risk for this painful cyst. Without treatment, pilonidal disease causes infections and can lead to cancer.
When your colon is healthy, you don’t give it a thought. But the moment something goes wrong with your colon, you wish you’d paid more attention. Keep your colon healthy and pain-free by adjusting what you eat.
If you’re chronically constipated or have fecal or urinary incontinence, you may have an underlying pelvic floor dysfunction that impairs your organs’ ability to eliminate regularly and painlessly. Strengthen your pelvic floor with biofeedback.
When you have a colonoscopy, one of the things your doctor is looking for are polyps, which are abnormal growths in your colon. Most polyps are benign and never become cancerous. So, is it OK to leave them in place?
If you’re at average risk for colon cancer, you only need to undergo a colonoscopy every 10 years. Whether it’s your first colonoscopy and you’re not sure what’s going to happen, or you’ve had one before but it was years ago, here’s what to expect.
If you’re scheduled for colorectal surgery, you want to do all you can to get the best outcome with the fastest recovery. Providing your body with the best possible nutrition gives it the tools it needs to heal. Here’s how to do it.
When you pass gas, do you pass more than gas? If you leak feces — no matter how much or how little — at unexpected, inopportune times, you have fecal incontinence. Here’s what to do about it.
As if wrinkles and thinning hair weren’t bad enough, another sign of aging takes place inside your gut. You may develop small pouches — called diverticula — in weak areas of your colon. If these pouches get infected, you have diverticulitis.
About three million people in the United States have either ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease — a jump of a million sufferers in 2016. If you have UC or CD, here’s what you need to know about your disease, and how the two differ.
Having a pain in your anus is really a pain in your … you know. It hurts when you defecate. It hurts when you sit. You don’t want to even try sex play in that area. Plus, you’re worried — is anal pain a serious sign of disease?
You take your health and longevity seriously. That’s why you booked a colonoscopy to either confirm that your colon is cancer-free or to remove any cancerous lesions at an early stage. Congratulations! Now, here’s what you need to do to prepare.
Colon cancer is one of the most common — and curable — of all cancers. If you catch it soon enough. Colon cancer affects all ages, but is on the rise among younger people. Are you at risk?
Defecation is painful. Or your rectum feels swollen and tender all the time. If you suffer from the uncomfortable symptoms of an anorectal abscess, your condition may have started with a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Here’s what to do.
You can’t hold your urine. Or maybe your feces. You have pain in your pelvic area, but don’t know why. You may have pelvic organ prolapse, which occurs when your pelvic floor muscles weaken. Here’s why it happens.
If you’ve been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC), you wonder if — and hope that — there’s a cure. Even though no cure exists right now for UC, research is promising. Here’s what to do in the meantime.
You and your partner or friends got a little “playful.” Or maybe you — or your child — was fooling around, experimenting. No matter how it happens, getting an object stuck up your rectum is no fun. Removing it yourself could cause a crisis.
You may not like to think about your rectum. But colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, not counting skin cancers. Learn the signs and symptoms of rectal cancer to increase your chances of survival.
You’ve tried creams. You’ve tried sitz baths. You’ve changed your diet and your bathroom habits. But you’re still plagued by hemorrhoids. Isn’t there something that can eliminate hemorrhoids for good? Surgery can.
I can’t wait until my next colonoscopy, said nobody ever. But getting your colonoscopy result is a big relief: Either you know you’re in the clear, or you get the treatment you need ASAP. But how often do you need a colonoscopy?
Rectal prolapse may be embarrassing, and it can be painful, but it’s almost never an emergency. Still, you need to fix it, even as you wonder how it could happen to you. Following are a few reasons why your rectum may protrude through your anus.
Your anus hurts when you defecate. Or you see blood on your toilet paper. Or you have an object stuck in your anal canal. Whatever the reason, if you have anal trauma, you must see a doctor as soon as possible to get effective — and safe — treatment.
If you have anal or rectal pain or bleeding, or if you feel a lump near your anus, it may not be hemorrhoids. You could have a pus-filled anal or perianal abscess. An abscess almost never goes away on its own, and can cause serious complications.
When you have ulcerative colitis (UC), every meal is a challenge. Will breakfast cause pain? Will lunch become diarrhea? Discovering which foods trigger your UC attacks — and which don’t — makes meals a pleasure again.
Your anus hurts. You’re embarrassed to talk about it, and a little afraid. But most anal pain is caused by benign conditions, and should resolve within a day or two. If anal pain persists, see a specialist for diagnosis and treatment.
If you’re one out of three adults in the United States who suffer from hemorrhoids, you’re not looking forward to another painful flare-up. A few simple changes to your routine, though, can help keep your bathroom routine pain-free and efficient.
Cancer is a frightening concept for anyone, but not knowing what to look for can make it more frightening. Here’s what you need to understand about anal cancer, and how to look for it in yourself.
Depending on what type of hemorrhoids you're experiencing, your treatment might change. So what’s the difference between internal and external hemorrhoids, and how does that difference affect treatment?
Pain in the anus can be embarrassing to bring up with your doctor. However, pain can be a symptom of a larger problem, so it’s best to talk to your doctor sooner, rather than later.
Is your case of constipation not resolving itself? It's important to know when constipation stops being just an annoying problem and when to seek medical attention.
Wondering what to expect when you’re preparing for your first colonoscopy? This handy guide to the colonoscopy process helps you to be as ready as possible, so you know what is happening every step of the way.
