Consultation with a proctologist in Ternopil

Proctology is a medical field that deals with the examination and treatment of pathologies of the colon and rectum, anus and pararectal area.

Disappointing statistics show that every fourth inhabitant of the planet older than 35 years is exposed to proctologic diseases. However, due to the delicacy of the problem and their own shyness, not everyone rushes to the doctor with the first alarming signals. Instead, they suffer from discomfort, often self-medicate, and address for the professional help only when the pain becomes unbearable and the disease has entered an advanced stage and has complications. Effective and quick resolution of any health problems, including proctologic ones, depends on the timeliness of treatment. That is why it is important to consult a proctologist at the first appearance of discomfort in the rectum or colon. After all, such diseases require immediate intervention of a qualified specialist.

We are talking about the timely diagnosis and treatment of such common and difficult diseases as:

• haemorrhoids;
• anal fissures;
• paraproctitis;
• rectal prolapse;
• dysfunction of the anal sphincter;
• women’s postpartum injuries of the anus;
• colitis;
• impaired motility;
• polyposis;
• fistulas;
• incontinence;
• parasitic lesions of the intestine;

When to visit a proctologist?

As a preventive measure, the annual examination is recommended for everyone older than 40, as well as for those who lead a sedentary lifestyle.

Anxiety symptoms that indicate the appearance of proctologic problems and require medical advice are also:

• discomfort or itching in the anal canal;
• pain during defecation;
• problematic bowel movements (frequent constipation, diarrhoea or their alternation);
• secretion of mucus, blood, pus from the anus;
• the presence or prolapse of haemorrhoids;
• the appearance of seals or fistulas in the anus;
• bloating and rumbling in the intestine, frequent gas;
• false urges to defecate, gas or fecal incontinence;
• sensation or presence of a foreign body in the rectum;
• redness of the skin around the anus and perineum.

The task of a proctologist is to diagnose and treat diseases of the colon and rectum. They can be caused by microtraumas, infectious lesions, disruption of the immune system and metabolism, impaired blood inflow and outflow, as well as by physiological features.

Before visiting the doctor, you should empty your intestine, but it is better to do it naturally, without laxatives. Rectal laxatives suppositories or enemas may be used, but only when there is no acute pain or anal bleeding. You should also avoid fatty foods, raw vegetables, fizzy drinks, and foods that can cause flatulence at least a day before the consultation. It is advisable not to eat at all on the day of the doctor's appointment, however, if the consultation is scheduled for the evening, light snacks are allowed no later than 4 hours before the examination.

How are proctologic diseases diagnosed?

Any visit to a proctologist will begin with an initial examination and medical history taking. The specialist must know everything about your body: infectious diseases, injuries, surgery, the presence of hereditary diseases.

Rectum damages and tumors, anal fissures and hemorrhoids can be diagnosed by palpation and visual inspection. However, refined diagnosis and detection of deeper problems are possible using modern instrumental methods.

Among them is anoscopy – an examination with the help of an anoscope, which complements the visual rectal examination and allows you to assess the condition of the anal canal and rectum to 8-12 cm deep. During the procedure, a doctor can detect hemorrhoids, cracks, erosions, polyps, inflammation of the mucous membrane.

Rectoromanoscopy, or rectoscopy is an endoscopic procedure that allows to examine the rectum and sigmoid colon up to 18-20 cm in length and determine the condition of the walls, the presence of inflammation and pathology of the intestine, diagnose colitis, fistulas, mucosal growths. It is also a method of diagnosis using a rectoromanoscopy.

Colonoscopy makes it possible to study the entire large intestine, from the rectum to the cecum. It is one of the most informative modern diagnostic methods in proctology. With its help, you can detect ulcers, polyps and other tumours timely. Modern colonoscopy is performed in the conditions of short-term medical sleep (sedation), which eliminates pain and discomfort for a patient. If necessary, a biopsy of the intestinal mucosa can also be performed during the procedure for further histological examination and clarification of the nature of the disease.

There are also other laboratory examinations for the diagnosis of proctologic diseases. The most common of them are rectal smear and coprogram. The latter is an advanced analysis of fecal masses, which helps to detect inflammatory processes in the intestine in particular and in the digestive system in general, as well as ulcers, colitis, dysbacteriosis.

Treatment of proctological diseases

According to the results of examination, laboratory and instrumental studies, the proctologist makes a diagnosis and prescribes treatment, which will depend on the stage of the disease and the patient's characteristics and may include therapeutic or surgical measures.

Hemorrhoids treatment

In the hemorrhoids treatment, which is the most common proctologic problem nowadays, if a patient addressed to a doctor timely, preference is given to the latest minimally invasive methods. Conservative training and medical support are equally important. The correct selection of the latter can reduce the volume of intervention and greatly facilitate the postoperative period. It is important to understand that the success of treatment depends not only on the combination of treatments, but also on the adherence to the regime and diet of the patient. Monotherapy with one of the drugs will lead to a short-term and insufficient effect. That is why it is important to be under a specialist’s at all stages of treatment.

The following innovative techniques are used to treat hemorrhoids:

• infrared or radiowave coagulation;
• sclerotherapy;
• ligation with latex rings;
• HAL-RAR surgery (ligation of haemorrhoidal arteries under ultrasound doppler);
• laser submucosal destruction.

Most of these procedures are suitable for outpatient treatment. Minimally invasive methods of haemorrhoid control are characterized by a short recovery period. In the later stages, the classic Milligan-Morgan surgery is preferred, which is the worldwide gold standard in terms of efficiency and frequency of relapses.

Treatment of anal fissures

Anal fissures are the second most common proctologic problem. Experts say that the topic of treatment of this disease and, most importantly, its prevention is quite complex. Therefore, an integrated approach is important: the use of drug therapy, if necessary, surgery, and then – a complete adjustment of lifestyle so that fissures will not reappear.

Treatment of anal fissure depends on its nature:

• Acute anal fissures are usually treated conservatively; the main thing is to detect them in time at this stage, until the fissures have become subacute.
• Subacute anal fissures can still be treated with conservative methods, but in this matter it is very important that the patient adheres to the recommendations of the doctor, because the therapy can be quite long.
• Chronic anal fissures have scars and are accompanied by a number of complex symptoms. At this stage, surgical treatment is unavoidable. This can be either surgical removal in a hospital or one of the minimally invasive methods.

Viasan offers quality treatment of proctological diseases in Ternopil

The Viasan Medical Centre in Ternopil uses only innovative methods of diagnosis and treatment. Proctologic diseases are not an exception. Using advanced technology, our specialists accurately diagnose and prescribe effective treatment to save their patients from unpleasant and delicate problems. We pay maximum attention to the patients’ comfort so that they do not feel anxious, trust their doctor and are set on a positive end of treatment.

Viasan has brought together the best proctologists of Ternopil – specialists with many years of experience and a progressive approach to work, who are always ready to help and answer all the patient’s questions.

High level of service, modern equipment for diagnosis and treatment, individual approach and control over the results of the prescribed treatment – all this gives patients of the Viasan Medical Centre a sense of security and confidence.