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Conditions

Anal Fistula

Anal fistula (Photo from Wellcome Trust)

No, this isn’t linked to the Queen’s ‘annus horribilis’ speech of 1992, but you only need to remove an ‘n’ from this phrase to be closer to the mark. An anal fistula is when a small, tunnel-like passageway forms between the anal canal and the opening to the outer skin surrounding the anus. A fistula usually develops after an anal abscess (a collection of pus) bursts, but can also form when an abscess has not been completely treated. They can also be caused by a condition which affects the intestines, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or Crohn’s disease. The unpleasant symptoms of an anal fistula may include: a throbbing, constant pain, irritation of skin around the anus, fever, evidence of pus or blood when passing stools, and generally feeling unwell. Pain also tends to worsen when you sit, move around, pass stools or cough. Unlike an anal fissure, most anal fistulas require surgery as they rarely heal untreated.

What the Men in White Coats Say

Comments

Please note: Unfortunately Channel 4 cannot respond to individual inquiries. If you have any concerns, you can check out the Channel 4 Health site or NHS Choices, but ultimately it is always best to check with a health professional.

That looks like mine, except my hole is more inflamed than that and my hole is a bit bigger.

the area around my bum gets very itchy anf after i itch it its really sore and hurts when i go to the toilet does this sound like anal fistual ?

i have a large flesh like growth dangeling from my bottom and its not piles because iv had them befor , due to having 4 kids . it stoppes me having normal sex with my partner because im so ashamed , and cant let him see my bottom .

I had an anal fistula that went from a sore to a small hole, to a hole the size of 50p (right next to my bottom hole) it was horrible i had an operation (it will not disappear without one) where they stitch it from the inside. I also have to have a drug called Infliximab via an intravenous drip every 8weeks, well i have had 3 doses of that drug and its cleared up straight away (but i have to be on the drug for a year altogether) but i think in the long run its worth it, the only downside for me is you are not allowed to get pregnant on it, which i desperately want to!!! hope this helps people.

I also felt like the only one with this problem! it is deffinately an "Embarrasing Illness" i'm only 16 (male) however IBS runs in my family, no pun intended, i'm aware that it's rare for males to have it but my Dad had it, or something similar, is there a way of going straight to surgery? i'm not a stranger to the operating table as i have broken my back, both arms and burnt the skin off of my hand, all at seperate times! i'm just a little worried as i read somewhere that if you don't get this problem sorted it can become cancerous, is this true for all cases? thanks for your help!

what happens if you leave it as it is?

i am 21 yrs old and for the past 4 days i have terrible abdomen pain and cramps have bee suffering from dioreah and i think i have an anul fistula aswell i think it may be ibs after doing some internet research but my doctor told me i had a stomach bug HA!

I felt like the only person in the world to have this. Its such a relief to see it on this website. Just got to get the guts to see a doctor its been ten years since I had it.

I'm recently had my anal fistula sorted. Initially, I had a Seton suture and then it was marsupialised. Am I likely to get a recurrence and should I abstain from anal sex altogether?

Please when are you coming to london.




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