An anal fistula is an abnormal tunnel or hole that occurs when the anal glands become blocked and filled with pus. After the blockage bursts or is drained by a physician, the drainage hole may not heal correctly and may remain open. The resulting...
An anal fistula usually occurs as the result of a previous anal abscess. An anal abscess occurs when the anal gland becomes clogged and infected, causing the cavities to fill with pus near the anus or rectum. The anal fistula commonly connects the...
Bladder surgery can be done to treat bladder cancer or to treat incontinence. Over 67,000 new cases of bladder cancer occur each year, with more men than women affected. Incontinence, on the other hands, affects more women than men. Many different...
A perirectal abscess is a collection of pus that forms as the result of an infection, most often an infected anal gland. The individual will notice a tender red lump under the skin near the anus. Pain is the most common symptom and is usually...
Rectal pressure during exercise can cause considerable discomfort and pain, and can interfere with the type and duration of workout. Feelings of pressure in the rectum may indicate a digestive problem, or may result after childbirth or a pelvic...
Diverticulitis is the inflammation of one or more diverticula, or abnormal pouches, that are located in the wall of the intestine. The pouches are most often found in the large intestine, although they can form in any part of the digestive system,...
Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory condition of the bowel. It usually affects older children, teenagers and young adults. Patients with Crohn's disease can have involvement of any segment of the gastrointestinal tract.
The American Dietetic Association encourages people to get 20 to 35 g of fiber a day. If you're like many Americans, you're probably consuming only a portion of that amount. Not getting enough fiber is associated with not only constipation but...
Prostate cancer, the most common cancer in men over age 50 in the United States, according to the Merck Manual, affects around 219,000 men each year and was responsible for around 27,000 deaths in 2007. The prostate, a walnut-sized gland found...
A colostomy is a surgical operation, performed under general anesthesia, that gets one end of the large intestine, or colon, out through the abdominal wall so that stools moves through the intestines and into a bag that is attached to the abdomen....
Lupus is a chronic inflammatory condition that occurs when your immune system attacks your own tissues and organs, according to MayoClinic. Inflammation caused by lupus can cause damage to kidneys, joints, skin, blood cells, heart and lungs....
A type of inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's colitis, also called Crohn's granulomatus colitis, is a form of Crohn's disease affecting mainly the colon, or large intestine. Crohn's in general is characterized by inflammation caused by ulcers that...
Diverticulitis affects more than 50 percent of Americans older than 60, according to the Mayo Clinic website. This disorder affects the digestive tract, causing pouches to form along the walls of the intestines. Diverticulitis can have numerous...
Crohn's disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease which mainly affects the large intestine, but may occur in other parts of the digestive system. Crohn's disease is a form of an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks healthy...
Diverticular disease affects your colon -- the waste-removing portion of your large intestine. Diverticulosis occurs when diverticula, or small pouches, form in your colon. Doctors think the diverticula pouches may be formed when you strain to...
Remicade is the brand name for a drug that treats autoimmune diseases characterized by elevated concentrations of tumor necrosis factor, a protein that kills tumor cells and causes inflammation. According to the National Institute of Arthritis...
Crohn's disease is a condition characterized by an inflammation of the digestive tract. The body's overactive immune response can cause the intestines to swell and thicken over time, leading to bothersome symptoms that commonly include diarrhea...
Crohn's disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that causes an inflammation of the intestinal tract. Signs of Crohn's disease may emerge in response to diet or stress, but are likely caused by immune system and inherited factors, according...
Two separate diseases make up inflammatory bowel disease, also called IBD, a chronic inflammation of the intestinal tract. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis can have similar effects but different causes. Over one million people suffer from...
A diet that includes raw fruits, vegetables and nuts may reduce the symptoms of an anal fistula and promote wound healing. Bowel movements can cause severe pain with an anal fistula, especially if digestive wastes are hard and difficult to pass. A...
