Can people with anal fistula drink alcohol?

Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
Updated on September 10, 2024
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Patients with anal fistula are advised not to drink alcohol. As an anal fistula already features distinct external and internal openings as well as a fistulous tract, excessive or chronic alcohol consumption can stimulate recurrent local inflammatory episodes. This can cause an increase in the secretions from both openings, leading to varying degrees of anal pain and itching for the patient, worsening the condition, potentially increasing the branches of the fistula, or causing it to spread deeper or to other areas. Therefore, not only should patients with anal fistula abstain from alcohol, but they should also maintain a light diet rich in green vegetables and fruits. Once diagnosed, it is crucial for patients with anal fistula to undergo surgical treatment promptly. The primary surgical approach involves fistulotomy with seton placement. Postoperatively, attention must be paid to the dressing of the local wound to avoid pseudo-healing and infection.

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Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
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Symptoms of hemorrhoids and anal fistula

If there are concurrent hemorrhoids and anal fistulas, then the clinical manifestations primarily involve the combined symptoms of both conditions. The clinical manifestations of hemorrhoids mainly include recurrent prolapse of local swellings at the anus along with defecation bleeding or pain. As for anal fistulas, they primarily present with local infectious symptoms at the anus because anal fistulas have distinct external and internal openings. During acute episodes, there typically is intermittent discharge of pus from the external opening along with accompanying stabbing pain. If the patient also has hemorrhoids or an exposed anal fissure, it is recommended to proceed with surgical treatment as soon as possible. The only treatment method for anal fistulas is surgery. During the surgery, while excising the wall of the anal fistula tract, mixed hemorrhoids can also be removed simultaneously, achieving the purpose of complete cure.

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Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
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Best treatment method for anal fistula abscess

The best treatment method for anal fistula and perianal abscess is surgical treatment, which is also the only curative method. Conservative treatment using drugs alone can only alleviate local inflammatory symptoms and cannot achieve complete cure. The main surgical method is the cutting and threading technique. This involves threading and ligating the infected area and the sphincter muscle. Through the slow cutting and drainage action of the ligature, the infection focus is removed while protecting the anal sphincter. Postoperatively, it is also important to pay attention to disinfecting and draining the local wound, ensuring proper dressing changes, and preventing poor drainage that could lead to infection or recurrence. It is advised that patients avoid spicy and irritating foods for the first six months after surgery.

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Written by Yang Dong
Colorectal Surgery Department
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What are the symptoms of an anal fistula?

Anal fistula is one of the common diseases in proctology. The most typical symptom of anal fistula is recurrent anal induration, accompanied by swelling, pain, and pus discharge, often with a ruptured external opening. During the quiescent phase, a hard cord can be felt leading from the ruptured external opening to the inside of the anus; during the acute inflammatory phase or abscess phase, pressing may cause pus to ooze from the ruptured opening.

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Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
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What to do about the false healing of anal fistula?

If a false healing of the wound occurs after local surgical excision of an anal fistula, it is mainly due to improper dressing changes by the patient and a lack of timely observation of the local wound. It is recommended to open the superficially healed wound to allow it to regrow. In particular, the patient needs to change the dressing and observe the wound daily to prevent the situation where the internal part of the wound has not healed, but the external opening appears healed. During dressing changes, hemorrhoid creams and other drugs that promote mucosal healing can also be applied locally and inside the anal canal to further promote the healing of the internal opening. Only when the internal opening has fully grown should treatment that promotes healing of the external opening be applied. (Please use medication under the guidance of a professional physician, and do not self-medicate.)

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Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
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Does an anal fistula hurt?

Anal fistula mainly refers to the presence of a noticeable fistula in the tissue under the perianal skin, which connects the inner opening in the anal canal and the outer opening around the anus. Usually, the anal fistula does not cause significant pain when it is not in acute flare-up. However, if the anal fistula enters an acute episode, there may be pain due to inflammation at the local external opening of the anus, and possibly an increase in purulent discharge, which can irritate the skin around the external opening, causing stinging pain and itching. To prevent recurrent episodes of anal fistula and further aggravation of the condition, it is advised to seek surgery as soon as the fistula is detected.