Homeopathic Remedies for Anal Fistula: Treating Abnormal Tracts Between the Anal Canal and Perianal Skin with Natural Medicines
DEFINITION OF ANAL FISTULA
It is an abnormal hollow tract or cavity lined with granulation tissue that connects a primary opening inside the anus and a secondary opening outside in the perianal skin.
It usually develops in the upper part of your anus (butt hole), where the anal glands are present. When these glands become infected and swollen, drainage from the infection can create a fistula. This infection is called a perianal abscess.
A fistula is a relatively common anorectal condition. It is twice more common in men. About half of people who get an infected anal gland will develop a fistula because this infected gland that forms an abscess, a pocket of pus that needs to drain, causes 75% of anal fistulas.
Fistulas also occur throughout your body either between different organs. These usually occur when tissues are inflamed for a long time due to an injury or disease. Chronic inflammation and infection leads to pus formation.
CAUSES OF ANAL FISTULA
- Perianal abscess is the most common cause of anal fistula.
- Inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s disease and others.
- Anal STI (sexually transmitted infection), tuberculosis affecting your anus.
- A traumatic injury or previous surgery in your anus.
- Radiation therapy for cancer in the pelvic region.
- Actinomycosis, a rare bacterial infection that causes abscess.
- Hidradenitis suppurativa: it is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that produces abscesses in your sweat glands, occasionally in your perianal region.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF ANAL FISTULA
- Skin irritation around the anus with constant intense pain and throbbing. You may also feel more pain when going to the toilet for feces, coughing, or when sitting. Your buttocks may be sensitive to touch.
- Swelling and redness (inflammation) inside or around anus (cellulitis).
- Passing of pus and blood when you pass feces (during stool). It may have a smell. Sometimes fever is also present.
POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS IN ANAL FISTULA
- Persistent infection.
- Fistula extension surrounding the anus.
- Occasionally cancer in the rectum.
HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINES FOR ANAL FISTULA
1. AURUM MURIATICUM
It is a first-grade remedy in fistula in anus with excoriation of perineum. Glands are swollen in scrofulous subjects. Also used in syphilitic infection and it is just for such deterioration of bodily fluids and alteration in the tissues.
Mental state of the person is hopeless, despondent, and with great desire to commit suicide. Every opportunity is sought for self-destruction. Aversion to all work. This is used in sexually transmitted infections (anti-venereal and anti-scrofulous).
2. BERBERIS VULGARIS
Fistula in ano alternates with chest complaints. Fistula with itching and fullness in perineum. Tearing around anus. Burning and smarting in anus.
3. CALCAREA CARBONICA
Abscesses in deep muscles. Crawling and constriction in rectum, prolapse ani during stool. Offensive sour odor of flatus. Formication in anus and sensation as if sand or gravel in anus. Swelling of anus.
Excoriation of rectum, rub until become raw. Eruption and pustules about anus. Burning and itching of anus from ascarides. Moisture from anus fetid, herring brine smelling like. Nasal symptoms also present with rectal complaints.
Mental state of Calc-carb patient is apprehensive, worse towards evening, forgetful, confused, low spirited. Anxiety with palpitation. Slight mental efforts produces hot head. Averse to work or exertion.
4. CALCAREA PHOSPHORICA
Fistula alternates with chest complaints. Fistulas often happen after surgery of rectal disease leads to infection in anal glands causes abscess formation, this abscess may lead to fistula, especially after surgery. Rectum inflammation, itching of anus at bedtime or evening. Mucus discharge after stool.
5. CARBO VEGETABILIS
Eruption and vesicles about anus and perineum. Excoriation of rectum with acrid moist discharge from anus. Rub anus until raw. Fullness and formication in anus. Itching of anus when touched perineum. Flatus hot, moist and offensive, gnawing and burning in rectum. A musty, glutinous moisture exudes, soreness, itching, moisture of perineum at night. Discharge of blood from rectum, burning in anus and varices.
6. CARCINOSINUM
It is claimed that Carcinosin acts favorably and modifies all cases in which either a history of carcinoma can be elicited or symptoms of the disease itself exist. Pain in fistula is ameliorated by bending, pressing, and warm drink.
7. CAUSTICUM
Pulsating pain in fistula. Flatus loud, offensive with fullness and formication in anus. Sensation of foreign body or lump in rectum. Itching in anus ameliorated by cold bathing. Pain in rectum while walking and burning after stool in anus. Anus sore, raw while sitting. Pressing, pressure in rectum as if feces were lodged in rectum.
8. KALIUM CARBONICUM
Itching, ulcerated pimples around anus and formication in rectum. Large discharge of blood with natural stool. Burning and itching in rectum and anus.
Weakness is characteristic of all potassium salts especially in this medicine more indicated, with soft pulse coldness, general depression, and very characteristic stitches, which may be felt in any part of body or in connection with any affection. Kali pains are sharp and cutting, nearly all better by motion.
9. NITRICUM ACIDUM
Eruption, boils, pimples about anus with stinging pain. Excoriation of anus from acrid moisture and also from stool. Ulceration of rectum. Flatus offensive during stool and fullness in rectum. Itching in rectum. Syphilitic inflammation of rectum.
10. SILICEA TERRA
Silicea is related to all fistulous burrowing, ripens abscess since it promotes suppuration. Ailments attended with pus formation. Rectum feels paralyzed, fistula in anus alternates with chest complaints. Flatus offensive. Inflammation and ulceration of rectum. Moisture bloody and cadaverous odor.
It promotes expulsion of foreign bodies from tissues. Every little injury suppurates. Long lasting suppuration and fistulous tract.