RECTAL DISCHARGE

Ask the Following Questions:

1. Is it mucopurulent or feculent? A mucopurulent discharge suggests an anal fistula, perirectal abscess, proctitis, anal ulcer, or rectal prolapse. A feculent discharge suggests anal incontinence, internal hemorrhoids, chronic anal fissure, or ulcer.
2. Is it painful? Painful discharge suggests a perirectal abscess, proctitis, anal ulcer, or rectal prolapse.
3. Is there an abnormal neurologic examination? An abnormal neurologic examination suggests that there is anal incontinence from an upper or lower motor neuron lesion. This may be due to spinal cord trauma, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord tumor, transverse myelitis, and many other disorders.

DIAGNOSTIC WORKUP

Routine laboratory tests include a CBC, sedimentation rate, urinalysis, chemistry panel, and smear and culture of the discharge. A Frei test may be necessary to rule out lymphogranuloma venereum. Sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, and a barium enema may be needed in selected cases. A proctologist or gastroenterologist should be consulted in difficult diagnostic problems. If there are abnormalities on the neurologic examination, a neurologist should be consulted.

Book Source Details

• Book Title: Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs
• Author(s): R. Douglas Collins
• Year of Publication: 2003
• Copyright Details: Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs, Copyright © 2003 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Other Book Chapters Related to Anal symptoms

Read excerpts from these other book chapters related to Anal symptoms:

Copyright Details: Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs, Copyright © 2008 Williams & Wilkins.

More About Causes of Anal symptoms

• Back to symptom: Anal symptoms: Introduction (review 274 causes)
• Next Book Extract About Anal symptoms: RECTAL MASS (Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs)
• All Book Extracts: All Online Book Extracts for Anal symptoms

More About This Book: Title: Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs Authors: R. Douglas Collins Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Copyright: 2003 ISBN: 0-7817-3805-9

 » Next page: RECTAL MASS (Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs)

Rate This Website

What do you think about the features of this website? Take our user survey and have your say:

Website User Survey

Medical Tools & Articles:

Next articles:

• RECTAL MASS (Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs)
• Hemorrhoids (In a Page: Signs and Symptoms)
• Rectal Pain (In a Page: Signs and Symptoms)
• Rectal Masses (In a Page: Signs and Symptoms)
• GI Bleeding - Melena & Hematochezia (In a Page: Signs and Symptoms)

Tools & Services:

• Bookmark this page
• Take a survey relating to Anal symptoms
• Symptom Search
• Symptom Checker
• Medical Dictionary
• Give your feedback

Medical Articles:

• Disease & Treatments Search
• Misdiagnosis Center
• Full list of interesting articles

Forums & Message Boards

• Ask or answer a question at the Boards:
• I cannot get a diagnosis. Please help.
• Tell us your medical story.
• Share your misdiagnosis story.
• What is the best treatment for my condition?
• See all the Boards.

Enter your search terms Submit search form
Search The Web Search wrongdiagnosis.com

Common Health Mistakes

Symptom
Checker

Search Specialists by State and City