Hemorrhoids are small anal cushions within the canal that contain blood vessels and the supporting tissue made of muscle and elastic fibers. They are important for continence contributing to at rest 15–20% of anal closure pressure and act to protect the anal sphincter muscles during the passage of stool. Although most people think hemorrhoids are abnormal, they are present in everyone. Read more...

An anal fissure is a crack or tear in the skin of the anal canal. Fissure depth may be superficial or sometimes down to the underlying sphincter muscle. Read more...

An anal fistula (also called fistula-in-ano) is an abnormal inflammatory tract between the anal canal and skin surface. An anal fistula is frequently the result of a previous or current anal abscess, occurring in up to 50% of patients with abscesses. Normal anatomy includes small glands just inside the anus. Read more...

Pilonidal disease is a chronic infection of the skin which occurs at the bottom of the tailbone (coccyx) and can become infected and filled with pus. Once infected, the technical term is Pilonidal abscess. The disease is more common in men than women and frequently occurs between puberty and age 40. It is also common in obese people and those with thick, stiff body hair. this condition can also affect the navel, armpit or penis, though these locations are much more rare. Read more...

Itching around the anal area is called Pruritus ani.
Several factors may be at fault. A common cause is excessive moisture in the anal area. Moisture may be due to perspiration or a small amount of residual stool around the anal area. Pruritis ani may be a symptom of other common anal conditions such as hemorrhoids and anal fissures. The initial condition can be made worse by scratching, vigorous cleansing of the area or overuse of topical treatments. Read more...

Anal warts (also called "Condyloma acuminata") are a condition that affects the area around and inside the anus. They may also affect the skin of the genital area. They first appear as tiny spots or growths, perhaps as small as the head of a pin, and may grow quite large and cover the entire anal area. Usually, they do not cause pain or discomfort to afflicted individuals and patients may be unaware that the warts are present. Some patients will experience symptoms, such as itching, bleeding, mucus discharge and/or a feeling of a lump or mass in the anal area. Read more...

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder that may affect over 15 percent of the general population. It is sometimes referred to as spastic colon, spastic colitis, mucous colitis or nervous stomach. IBS should not be confused with other diseases of the bowel such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. IBS is a functional disorder where the function of the bowels may be abnormal but no structural abnormalities exist. Read more...

Rectal prolapse is a condition in which the rectum (the lower end of the colon, located just above the anus) becomes stretched out and protrudes out of the anus. Weakness of the anal sphincter muscle is often associated with rectal prolapse at this stage, resulting in leakage of stool or mucus. While the condition occurs in both sexes, it is much more common in women than men. Read more...

For most people, having a bowel movement is a seemingly automatic function. For some individuals, the process of evacuating stool may be difficult. Symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction include constipation and the sensation of incomplete emptying of the rectum when having a bowel movement. Incomplete emptying may result in the individual feeling the need to attempt a bowel movement several times within a short period of time. Residual stool left in the rectum may slowly seep out of the rectum leading to reports of bowel incontinence. Read more...

Incontinence is the impaired ability to control gas or stool. Its severity ranges from mild difficulty with gas control to severe loss of control over liquid and formed stools. Incontinence to stool is a common problem, but often it is not discussed due to Embarrassment. Read more...