Spring has arrived, and everywhere is a beautiful scene of flowers and greenery. However, Ms. He has recently been physically and emotionally affected by constipation issues. She has lost her appetite for tea and food, lacks energy at work, and although she wants to seek medical attention, she feels too embarrassed to walk through the hospital doors. Anorectal diseases are common and prevalent in daily life. However, due to the special location of the afflicted area, along with the traditional treatment methods being painful, prone to recurrence, and having long recovery periods, many people fall into misconceptions about treatment.
Coinciding with Quality Month in March, Director Han Guoyin from Zhengzhou Huashan Anorectal Hospital reminds patients: if diagnosed with an anorectal disease, one should follow the doctor's advice and seek timely treatment. The earlier the treatment, the better the effect. One must not avoid seeking treatment out of embarrassment or allow small problems to become major concerns by dragging their feet, nor should they blindly believe false advertisements like "hemorrhoids can be cured with just one injection." Otherwise, minor issues could turn into significant health risks.
### Arbitrary Self-Diagnosis
Due to the secretive nature of the afflicted area, many women feel embarrassed to visit hospitals for diagnosis and treatment. Even some men silently endure the pain, opting instead to buy medication over-the-counter for self-treatment. For example, hemorrhoid patients find numerous medications on the market, mainly divided into patches and suppositories. Regardless of whether it's a patch or suppository, treating hemorrhoids hinges on symptomatic treatment. If symptoms are not properly addressed, even the best medicine will be ineffective. Therefore, after contracting hemorrhoids, one must consult a doctor for proper diagnosis and subsequent treatment. According to Director Han Guoyin, many hospitals now have both male and female doctors available, so patients need not worry about privacy breaches during treatment.
### Common Use of the "Delay" Strategy
In folk sayings, there’s a saying that nine out of ten people suffer from hemorrhoids, but many view anorectal issues as minor ailments. Director Han Guoyin introduced a case involving Ms. Tang, a 38-year-old woman who, despite feeling discomfort early on, didn’t find time to visit the hospital due to busy work schedules. Later, Ms. Tang experienced dizziness, anemia, and palpitations, forcing her to seek medical attention. Upon examination, doctors found her severely anemic with only 4.2 grams of hemoglobin, caused by chronic blood loss from internal hemorrhoids and delayed treatment. Ms. Tang deeply regretted not addressing the issue sooner.
Director Han also recounted another patient who had suffered from hemorrhoids for years. It wasn't until his stool turned purplish-red that he visited the hospital, where he was diagnosed with rectal cancer. Due to prolonged delay, he lost the opportunity for sphincter-preserving surgery and would have to live with an artificial stoma for the rest of his life, discharging waste through this artificial opening. Director Han emphasized that there are many types of anorectal diseases, and many seemingly minor issues could hide serious underlying problems. Patients experiencing symptoms should seek timely diagnosis and confirmation at a hospital.
### Believing False Advertisements
Many people, driven by urgency, easily fall victim to misleading advertisements. Director Han Guoyin warned that claims such as "one injection cures hemorrhoids" are clearly false. The principle behind injecting for hemorrhoids involves injecting sclerosing agents or necrotizing agents (now rarely used) into the internal hemorrhoid nucleus to achieve shrinkage by blocking blood vessels and hardening tissues. However, injections are only suitable for early-stage first and second-degree internal hemorrhoids. External hemorrhoids, polyps, colitis, anal fissures, etc., are not suitable for this method. Additionally, internal hemorrhoids are just one type of anorectal disease. Patients with combined conditions such as anal fissures and external hemorrhoids cannot rely solely on injections for effective treatment. Hemorrhoid treatments include excision, injection, ligation, banding, laser therapy, cryotherapy, and specialized plasma treatment for anorectal diseases. Patients should not blindly chase after misleading advertisements like "one injection cures all."
### Disregarding Anorectal Diseases
Many anorectal diseases require surgical intervention, yet many patients fear pain and worry about postoperative recurrence, thus avoiding treatment altogether. Director Han Guoyin stated that modern medical advancements have completely transformed traditional drawbacks of anorectal surgery. For instance, patients no longer need to completely abstain from eating before wound recovery, lie bedridden, or experience abnormal bowel movements, as was previously required. Currently, Zhengzhou Huashan Anorectal Hospital uses the minimally invasive ablation HCPT technology, a new modern diagnostic and therapeutic technique for hemorrhoids. This technique causes minimal trauma, mild swelling, and is fully automated with computer control, ensuring a pain-free and minimally invasive process. The procedure takes only a few minutes, allowing patients to drive the same day and resume normal activities such as bathing and defecating the next day. It is both convenient and highly effective.