More peri-anal pain
Besides fissures, another common cause of peri-anal pain is a peri-anal abscess. An abscess is a collection of pus. This is due to an infection in the region around the anus.
Usually an abscess causes persistent, throbbing pain. It is present even if the patient is not doing anything. However, the pain may get worse during bowel movement, sitting down or when the area is touched. When examined, redness, warmth and a tender swelling may be often found. (Tenderness in medical jargon means “painful when touched”.) Sometimes, however, it may just be tender to touch with no visible signs. Not a few abscesses have been missed because there were initially no visible signs although there was tenderness. Fever may be present.
The treatment of an abscess is by drainage (i.e. releasing the pus from the abscess and allowing any further pus formation to flow out). This is accompanied by an antibiotic. The wound is left open and dressed regularly until the opening shrinks and closes by itself.
Here is an abscess which had been drained. This patient complained of painful piles. He had piles too, for many years. He was receiving treatment for piles and uncontrolled diabetes. Now, however, the pain was due to the abscess. The sign which gave the abscess away was the presence of tenderness not directly over the piles.
The drained abscess. There was an external pile at 6 o’clock position. However, it was soft. Examination whilst under anaesthesia revealed internal piles, but they were not causing any trouble.
After drainage, the pain subsided and diabetes came under control. The wound healed over a period of 2 weeks. The piles resolved by just a change of dietary and toilet habits.
What causes the infection in the first place? Bad toiletry habits?
Really bothersome to have painful waste outlet part. How to maintain the hygiene since the prob is a delicate one. ermmm .. I think I’ll starve myself till the wound has healed.
an abcess anywhere also causes pain, what more near the nether-regions. i supplose that’s how the phrase ‘pain in the arse’ came about.
Could this be caused by anal sex? *shudder*
Nyonyapeng, you got it right — this is a true pain in the arse!!
One can barely sit well when swollen!!
just me, err.. not bad toilet habits.
There are 2 sources of infection:
1. from the skin. may be due to small scratches on the skin, or skin lesions. infection spreads from outside in.
2. from the anal glands. these are glands that are within the anal canal. infection spreads from inside out.
hoiling, delicate it is. cleaning by washing is much more comfortable than by paper, of course. And there’s the sitz bath.
nyonya & george, yup a “pain in the arse” is REALLY bothersome.
titoki, anal sex could cause trauma to the skin which might lead to infection and abscess.
BLEK!!!! diu… tonite no need to eat dinner oredi lah!
Who help you take picture ah? Poor u la..hv to look up the butt. That looks damn painful man!! Poor guy!
Ah Pek, perfect time to go on diet
mott, the circulating nurse takes the pictures. that’s the one who didn’t touch the patient.
actually, after releasing the pressure from the abscess, the pain subsided.
It looks really painful.
Wow, SP-lang! ouch… is peri-anal known as “ti-cheng” or “ti-chui” in hokkien? gosh now i know why it is so painful…
Kenny, it was.
YD, welcome! You from SP ke? “Ti-cheng” is Hokkien for piles.