An anal fistula is a small tunnel with an internal opening in the anal canal and an external opening in the skin of the perianal area (an area that surrounds the anus). An anal fistula usually results after improper healing of an anal abscess following pus drainage. Homeopathy is an excellent alternative mode of treating many surgical diseases including anal fistula. It is particularly beneficial for treating anal fistula. In most cases, these medicines save a person from undergoing surgical procedures for this painful problem.
Homoeopathic Treatment of anal fistula
Homeopathic remedies for anal fistula treat the condition with gentleness and safety, and with no side effects because of their natural origin. With regular use of these medicines, the discharge associated with anal fistula gradually decreases and the symptoms of pain, swelling, and itching are also managed. Natural medicines assist in regularizing bowel movements and treating hard stool, which could otherwise lead to a recurrence of symptoms. They are also helpful in cases of anal fistula that re-form even after surgical correction in the past.
Best Homeopathic Remedies For Anal Fistula
The medicines that top the list for anal fistula treatment are Silicea, Hepar Sulph, and Myristica Sebifera. The characteristic features of these remedies are as follows:
1. Silicea – For Anal Fistula With Copious Pus Discharge
Silicea is the most recommended medicine for anal fistula. It is the most widely used medicine for treating anal fistula in homeopathy. It carries a great ability to resolve multiple medical problems where pus formation occurs including anal fistula. The way it controls the process of pus formation is magnificent. It can be given in anal fistula cases with copious pus discharge. Sometimes blood may be present in this discharge. The discharge is also highly offensive and putrid smell. The discharge is accompanied by perianal swelling. Sharp, stitching pain in the rectum may occur especially while walking. When passing stool, burning and itching at the anus may be felt. Silicea is also a remedy for anal fistula with brownish fluid discharge and/or accompanied by constipation. Silicea is also applicable to treat hardness/indurations left around the anus after the healing of an anal fistula.
2. Hepar Sulph – For Intense Pain
Hepar Sulph is the most valuable medicine to manage anal fistula accompanied by extreme pain. It works in cases where the area around the perianal region is highly inflamed, hard and swollen, and is very sore and sensitive to touch. The pain, in most cases, gets worse at night. Cold worsens the pain. Other symptoms may include a throbbing or beating sensation around the anus. It is indicated when pus is present in the tract but hasn’t begun to discharge. This medicine will aid pus drainage from the fistula tract followed by relief in pain. The discharge of pus from the anal fistula may be blood-stained and may smell like decaying matter. The patient may also have a fever with chills.
3. Myristica Sebifera – Top Remedy For Fistula
Myristica Sebifera is another primary natural medicine of plant origin and is used for treating many suppurative (pus-forming) conditions including anal fistula. This remedy works wonders in expelling the pus readily and in healing the anal fistula. It has its most prominent action in speeding up the process of pus drainage and cutting short the healing process of the anal fistula. The use of this medicine often prevents the need for surgery in anal fistula cases.
4. Calcarea Sulph – For Thick, Yellow Discharges
Calcarea Sulph is beneficial for the treatment of anal fistula with thick and yellow pus discharge. The discharge is often blood-stained. It is indicated when the pus is already oozing out of an anal fistula opening on the skin. Calcarea Sulph aids in hastening pus expulsion. Pain is also prominent in the anal region where this medicine is required.
5. Berberis Vulgaris – For Shooting Pain
Berberis Vulgaris works well in cases where there is shooting pain around the anus. In addition to this, a stitching pain around the anus also points towards the use of Berberis Vulgaris. The skin around the anus is very sore and is accompanied by itching, which gets worse in the evening.
6. Calcarea Phos – For Painless Fistula
Painless anal fistula points towards the use of Calcarea Phos. In these cases, there is blood and pus discharge from the anal fistula. These discharges can be accompanied by a warm or burning sensation around the anus. Another striking indication for using Calcarea Phos is an anal fistula alternating with chest complaints. Calcarea Phos hastens the healing process of anal fistula resulting in speedy recovery.
7. Paeonia Officinalis – For Pain And Itching At Anus
Paeonia Officinalis is a natural medicine for anal fistula treatment. In cases needing it, there is persistent oozing of fluid from the anal tract. The fluid is extremely offensive in smell and there is also much pain in the anus region. Sitting makes the pain worse. Itching and biting sensation around the anus also attend. A burning sensation at the anus is also marked. Apart from anal fistula, Paeonia Officinalis is also a prominent remedy for treating anal fissures and piles.
8. Hydrastis Canadensis – For Anal Fistula With Constipation
Hydrastis Canadensis is highly beneficial for treating anal fistula accompanied by constipation. It helps in healing anal fistula as well as regularizing bowel movement. Patients with chronic obstinate constipation (i.e. those who often have a number of days without passing stool), those with severe pain following the passing of stool, those for whom the pain lasts for hours following stool, and those with smarting and burning pain in the rectum and around the anus, are typical candidates for Hydrastis Canadensis.
9. Causticum – For Pulsating Pain
Causticum works well when in anal fistula cases, pulsating pain is felt around the anus. The pulsations are of high intensity in the perineum. The anal fistula discharges pus, blood, and serum. Along with anal fistula, haemorrhoids may also be present. The haemorrhoids are hard, large and swollen.
10. Thuja Occidentalis – For Fistula with Burning Around the Anus
Thuja Occidentalis is a beneficial medicine for anal fistula accompanied by burning pain around the anus. Soreness is felt around the anus the whole day, along with a burning sensation. Stitching pain, as from a needle pricking in the perianal region may also attend. Perianal pains get worse after walking. Offensive sweat around the anus may also be present along with the above symptoms.
11. Lachesis – For Anal Fistula with Fullness Sensation in Rectum
This medicine is indicated when a person suffering from an anal fistula complains of a sensation of fullness in the rectum. Other than this, there is a feeling as if little hammers are beating the rectum. Burning and cutting pain in the rectum may also occur.
Signs And Symptoms Of Anal Fistula
1. An opening (hole) on the skin near the anus and fluid/pus discharge from that opening. The discharge may even be blood-stained. The discharge may be foul-smelling. Rarely, faecal discharge may occur.
2. Perianal swelling, redness, inflammation and pain. The pain could vary in nature from throbbing, pulsating, sharp and tearing, to stitching pain. The pain usually gets worse during bowel movements and also while sitting or walking. There may be tenderness around the opening of the fistula. After the fistula drains, the pain may decrease.
3. Burning and irritation or itching in the perianal area are other attending symptoms
4. Fever and chills may also be present in a few cases
5. A feeling of weakness can accompany the above symptoms
Anal Fistula: What Causes It?
An anal fistula arises from a clogged anal gland, followed by an infection in the anal gland. Anal glands are present in the wall of the anal canal that secrete fluid. These may sometimes get clogged by foreign matter like faecal bacteria that may cause infection in anal glands. Due to the infection, an abscess is formed which drains by itself or via surgery through a skin point around the anus. Anal fistula refers to a tunnel that develops along this tract running from the anal gland to a hole in the skin surrounding the anus.
Some of the factors that increase risk of an anal fistula are as follows:
1. An infection or trauma to the anal region
2. An improper healing of an anal abscess (pus filled mass) following pus drainage
3. A surgery near the anus
4. Having IBD means inflammatory disease, which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. It is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation in gastrointestinal tract, diverticulitis (infected pouch in colon), tuberculosis and certain sexually transmitted infections (eg HIV, syphilis)
5. Radiation treatment of anal cancer
6. Chances of anal fistula are more in males as compared to females
Diagnosis Of Anal Fistula
To diagnose an anal fistula, a physician examines the perianal area where a hole is seen in the anal fistula (denoting its external opening) that in most cases is draining fluid or pus. To detect the internal opening and the entire tract of the anal fistula, the following tests are recommended:
1. Anoscopy: The doctor views the anus and rectum using an instrument
2. MRI and an ultrasound of the anal region to see the complete path of the fistula tract
3. Anal Fistulogram: It is an X-ray process (taken after injecting a contrast) to view the fistula
4. Colonoscopy: If ulcerative colitis is also suspected
Complications Of Anal Fistula
If anal fistula is not treated rightly, then a recurrence of abscess near the anus is possible and there are chances of developing a complex fistula. Faecal incontinence (inability to hold stool), and cellulitis (skin infection) are other complications. The surgery of an anal fistula also carries complications like faecal incontinence and the recurrence of an anal fistula.