How to prepare for an appointment with a proctologist: features and recommendations

There are many pathologies that require referral to a proctologist. However, many patients consider their problems too personal and delicate and drag out a doctor's consultation to the last, not knowing how to prepare for an appointment and behave at it. In order not to start the disease, it is worth making an appointment with the hospital and getting ready for the appointment.

When to see a doctor

Proctologists are specialists in diseases localized to the colon and pararectal space. They are contacted if they suspect:

• polyps;
  

  Intestinal polyps

• hemorrhoids;
• colitis;
  

  Colitis of the intestine

• tumors;
• fistulas;
  

  What does a fistula look like?

• prolapse of the rectum;
• injury;
  

  Causes of intestinal injury

• proctitis;
• cracks.
  

  Anal fissure

Sometimes the therapist refers to the proctologist after the initial examination, in other cases the patients apply independently. No doctor of any other specialization will be able to establish an accurate diagnosis and prescribe the correct therapy when it comes to the problems described above.

There are five main signs that you should visit a proctologist:

1. pain arising in the rectal area during bowel movements;
   

   Pain during bowel movements

2. regular occurrence of constipation or diarrhea, especially in a chronic form;
   

   Persistent constipation indicates the need to visit a doctor.

3. the presence of hemorrhoids;
   

   Haemorrhoids

4. itchy sensations;
   

   Itching in the anus

5. purulent, bloody impurities in feces or mucus.
   

   Blood in the stool indicates obvious bowel pathologies

Often, patients expect these symptoms to go away on their own, which poses a health hazard - especially in the case of oncology.

For preventive purposes, a doctor should be visited when:

• pregnancy;
  

  During pregnancy, the fetus presses on the intestines, which can cause a number of proctological problems

• the postpartum period;
• leading a sedentary lifestyle;
• obesity;
  

  Obese people are at risk. They often need to consult a proctologist

• old age;
• menopause;
• chronic diseases according to the profile of a proctologist.

This will prevent the development of many diseases and unpleasant conditions.

How to prepare

To feel comfortable during the appointment, you should prepare properly in advance. Otherwise, the diagnosis of the disease can be difficult or complicated.

First of all, it is recommended to stick to your diet for several days before going to the doctor. To exclude increased gas formation and flatulence, it is better to refrain from eating legumes, peas, cabbage and baked goods. Juices containing pulp, as well as carbonated drinks, are also best removed from the diet.

It is better not to eat 2 hours before visiting the proctologist, you can only drink a little water. In a situation where swelling could not be avoided, Espumisan will be effective in accordance with the instructions.

It is very important to achieve bowel cleansing. To do this, use three methods:

1. an enema;
   

   Enema

2. taking a laxative;
   

   You can use a laxative such as Duphalac

3. laxative suppositories.
   

   You can use candles that have a laxative effect.

You need to choose one thing. But there is an exception: if you have complaints of pain, you need to refuse an enema, because it can worsen the patient's condition. The proctologist must conduct an examination, relieve the pain syndrome and only then prescribe additional studies.

In other circumstances, it is better to worry about cleansing with an enema beforehand. Without this, it is impossible to effectively examine the patient. If the intestines are cleaned, it will be easier to inspect it visually and with the apparatus. You need to start cleansing a few hours before going to the doctor's office. In this case, the first enema is given in 2-3 hours, and the second in 40 minutes.

Advice! At morning examinations, an enema is given in the evening, and in the morning they refrain from eating. If the reception is in the evening, then the first enema can be given at lunchtime.

To make an enema, you need to stock up with a mug of Esmarch, brought to a warm temperature with water, petroleum jelly and oilcloth.

Table. Stages of cleansing

Stage	Actions
Preparation	You need to lay the oilcloth on a bed or other surface and lie on it with the left side of your body. The legs are bent so that the knees are close to the chest. Esmarch's mug rises to 1.5 meters, its tip is coated with grease or ordinary petroleum jelly.
Introduction	The tip is carefully inserted into the anus. The patient must wait until the liquid is completely drained (this takes about five minutes).
Defecation	The urge is felt shortly after the enema is placed. You should try not to go to the toilet in the first 10-20 minutes.

Reception of "Mikrolax"

Despite their effectiveness, enemas are not suitable for everyone. Then you can resort to taking laxatives. Most often, doctors advise using Microlax, which has a combined effect, softening feces and increasing the amount of fluid in the intestinal cavity. Thus, even with prolonged constipation, the patient will not damage the intestinal wall when going to the toilet and will not experience painful sensations.

If a person has no intolerance to the components of "Mikrolax" - the drug can be safely used. He has no other contraindications.

Administration of the medicine is simple:

• you need to open the tube and lubricate its tip with the agent itself;
• immerse the tip completely into the anus (when used in children - half the length);
• inject the required amount of the drug and carefully pull out the tip.

During the first 15 minutes after the introduction, the person will begin to feel the urge to go to the toilet.

It is better to use this laxative 2-3 hours before going to the proctologist.

Some people try to use a pear for cleaning, but it is less effective due to its smaller volume. Since it pours in less water, it cannot completely flush out the intestines.

For the procedure, it is advisable to use boiled, purified or filtered water. The one that flows from the tap is undesirable.

Examination procedure

Many people feel better knowing exactly how the appointment will go. Knowledge allows them to feel more confident and tune in internally to the manipulations that the doctor will do.

First of all, the doctor gets acquainted with the entries in the patient's card, learns his anamnesis.

Then he fills out the map, specifying:

• how often the patient empties the intestines;
• whether after going to the toilet there is a feeling that the intestines have not been emptied completely;
• how the patient feels during the day, whether there is a feeling of weakness or migraine;
• Whether there is mucus, pus, or blood clots in the stool
• what is the diet and its regularity;
• whether there are pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract or chronic diseases.

The answers to the listed questions help to compose a picture of what is happening with the patient. After that, the proctologist proceeds to the examination. To do this, the patient goes to the examination room, where he puts on special underwear, which has an incision where the anus is located. This linen is disposable and should be disposed of after use.

After this, the person is laid on one side on the couch. Sometimes the symptoms described by him require that during the examination he was in the knee-elbow position.

First, the doctor visually examines the anus to assess how severe the pathological process is in the patient. Then he makes an examination by palpation. An anesthetic is applied to the patient's anus and the doctor's hands. The goal is to make sure there is no neoplasm and to assess muscle tone.

If the results of a digital examination are unsatisfactory, the doctor prescribes an endoscopic examination. To examine the rectum more thoroughly, they resort to anoscopy.

The psychoemotional factor plays a very important role. Most people feel embarrassed when visiting a proctologist, they feel bashful and fearful. To defeat them, you need to remember that a proctologist is a profession chosen by a doctor in order to help people cope with illness and discomfort.

Contraindications

The doctor does not always need to palpate. There are contraindications:

• the presence of unbearable pain even with anesthesia;
  

  Painful sensations during a manual examination - a reason to stop the examination immediately

• the likelihood of injury to the anus or rectum due to the narrowed lumen of the rectum or anus;
  

  Narrowing of the anal opening

• a disease in the acute stage, for example, when hemorrhoids are bleeding, there are manifestations of thrombosis of hemorrhoids, severe inflammation;
  

  Bleeding hemorrhoids - a contraindication to manual examination by a proctologist

• making diagnoses such as vascular disease or respiratory failure.
  

  Respiratory failure is a contraindication to manual examination of the rectum

In the presence of one or more of the listed factors, examination with the help of palpation or special devices is postponed until the patient feels better and will be tested. Drug therapy is indicated until the bleeding or the acute stage of inflammation is overcome.

For the appointment to go well, you need to immediately inform the doctor about all disturbing symptoms and pains. During the examination, it is also necessary to signal the emerging pain or discomfort.

Video - Preparing for the first visit to the proctologist