What is Proctology: Everything you need to know

Of late, if you have been hearing about conditions like haemorrhoids or piles a lot, then you are not alone. The prevalence of proctological diseases such as fissures, anal fistula, pilonidal sinus diseases – and, especially, haemorrhoids – are on the rise world over.

For the unaware, haemorrhoids refer to a medical condition in which the blockage of the anal opening occurs due to swelling of blood vessels in anus. Like haemorrhoids, many conditions affect the lower digestive tract, such as abscesses and fistulae, fissures, constipation, IBD, polyps, etc. To treat them properly, who is the right medical specialist to consult with?

This is where the field of proctology and specialists, called proctologists, come into the picture. With unhealthy lifestyles wreaking havoc on the colorectal region of our bodies at an alarming rate, proctologists and innovative proctology procedures have emerged as life-savers. Proctology is now a super-speciality in certain hospitals as well, giving patients access to state-of-the-art healthcare and services in an unprecedented manner.

Now that we know what proctology is and what proctologists do, let us glance at the common conditions that proctologists specialise in treating.