A: Bleeding during bowel opening is a common symptom among digestive tract diseases. Bleeding hemorrhoids are the most common cause of anal bleeding, but it may due to other diseases, e.g. anal fissure, colorectal polyps, dysentery or colon cancer. Please consult your doctor to confirm the diagnosis and arrange necessary investigation or treatment.

A: Pain in bowel movement may be caused by hemorrhoids, abscesses, fistula or anal fissure.

A: The best way to cure and prevent hemorrhoid is to develop a good diet and bowel habit. Sometimes, hemorrhoids recur due to poor diet and bowel habit. Occasionally, the hemorrhoid surgery is futile or if there is some other diseases mimic hemorrhoids. Please consult your doctor to confirm the diagnosis and arrange necessary investigation or treatment if you think your hemorrhoid relapse after surgery.

A: Bowel opening is controlled by anal sphincter. When the anal ring sphincter contracts, it tightens the anus to prevent fecal incontinence. In hemorrhoid surgery, surgeons only remove the redundant skin and subcutaneous hemorrhoid. Surgeons protect the anal sphincter. After hemorrhoid surgery, patient may have pain and difficulty during sphincter tightening to prevent leakage of flatus or feces.

A: As hemorrhoids act as a group of cushions to prevent the leakage of flatus, water and faces, anal sphincter usually do not need to contract vigorously to prevent incontinence. The hemorrhoids surgery cut away the soft tissue, the anal sphincter need more effort to contract. Excessive sphincter contraction after hemorrhoid surgery may cause wound pain. So patients feel difficult to tighten anus because of pain and may have temporary and minimal gas or fecal incontinence. When the wound pain is minimal one week after surgery, fecal incontinence would disappear.

• Maintain a good diet habit
• Drink plenty of water, at least 8 glasses or 2 liters a day
• Eat more fruits and vegetables, eat 2 portions of fruit and 3 portions of vegetables
• Exercise twice a week and 30 minutes each time
• Avoid prolonged sitting or standing. Change the posture frequently
• Develop a daily bowel habit, to prevent constipation
• Avoid excessive force during bowel opening. Avoid prolonged sitting on toilet bowl
• Avoid eating spicy food and alcohol

A: Male anal gland is more developed and many endocrine glands, therefore more susceptible to anal abscess.

A: To prevent infection, we should keep the anus clean. Keep the anus dry. Change the underwear frequently. Wash the anus after bowel opening. Don't sit on wet floor. Develop regular bowel habits. Consult your doctor immediately if there is suspicion of ano-rectal abscess to avoid delay in treatment.

A: Surgeons may perform digital and anoscopic examination of the anus and rectum. Surgeons may try to aspirate the abscess with a needle and syringe. If anal abscess is related to anal fistula or Crohn's disease, surgeons will need to dealt with the anal abscess and the underlying disease at the same time.