NANCY’S JOB REQUIRED HER TO BE ON HER FEET FOR EIGHT
HOURS EACH DAY AND HER ‘HEMORRHOIDAL’ PROBLEM WAS MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO
EASILY DO HER JOB. SHE CAME TO SEE ME TO GET HER ‘HEMORRHOIDS’ FIXED ONCE
AND FOR ALL.
I EXPLAINED TO NANCY THAT HEMORRHOIDS BEGIN IN THE
RECTUM NOT IN THE ANAL AREA. HEMORRHOIDS CAN FALL OUT OF THE RECTUM BUT
CAN BE PUSHED BACK UP INSIDE THE BODY. I FURTHER ADVISED NANCY THAT SINCE
HEMORRHOIDS OCCUR INSIDE THE BODY THEY DO NOT HAVE NERVE ENDINGS FOR PAIN,
BURNING, ITCHING OR THE SENSATION OF HOT
OR COLD. THE ANAL AREA HAS ALL OF THESE SENSATIONS
AND I EXPLAINED TO NANCY THAT HER CONDITION WAS MORE LIKELY ANAL RATHER
THAN HEMORRHOIDAL.
MY EXAMINATION OF THE ANAL AREA REVEALED A WALNUT
SIZED, PAINFUL TO THE TOUCH, LUMP IN THE POSTERIOR PORTION OF THE ANAL
OPENING. NANCY WAS ADVISED OF MY FINDINGS AND AFTER ANESTHETIZING THE AREA
A PIECE OF THE BUMP WAS CUT OFF AND SENT TO THE LABORATORY FOR EVALUATION.
THE LAB REPORT REVEALED ANAL CANCER.
NANCY’S ANAL CANCER WAS TREATED WITH CHEMOTHERAPY AND
RADIATION THERAPY.
ANAL CANCER IS JUST A BUMP THAT IS FELT WHEN BATHING
OR WHEN CLEANSING AFTER BOWEL MOVEMENTS. ANY BUMP OR LUMP MUST BE
EVALUATED BY A PHYSICIAN.
THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY RECOMMENNDS EXAMINATIONS
FOR COLO RECTAL CANCER FOR EVERYONE OVER AGE 50. HOWEVER, LUMPS, BUMPS,
BLEEDING, DRAINAGE OR ANY OTHER BOWEL CHANGE SHOULD BE EVALUATED BY A
PHYSICIAN AT ANY AGE THAT THE CHANGE IS NOTED.
ALLAN MILLER
DO
Academy of
Medicine of Toledo and Lucas
County
