DESCRIPTION

A medical condition wherein the walls of the rectum protrude through the anus and hence become visible outside the body, also known as Anal Prolapse

Persons most commonly affected:

Primarily affects elderly people. The disease is rare among children. Men develop rectal prolapse much less frequently than women do (80-90%).

Organ or part of body involved:

Rectum

Symptoms and indications:

A person with a prolapsed rectum may feel tissue protruding from the anus and experience the following symptoms: Pain during bowel movements; Mucus or blood discharge from the protruding tissue; Fecal incontinence (inability to control bowel movements); Loss of urge to defecate (mostly with larger prolapses); and Awareness of something protruding upon wiping

Causes and risk factors:

Various factors, such as age, long-term constipation, and the stress of childbirth, may cause the ligaments and muscles securing the rectum to weaken, which means that the rectum’s attachment to the body also weakens. This causes the rectum to prolapse, meaning it slips or falls out of place. Occasionally, large hemorrhoids (large, swollen veins inside the rectum) may predispose the rectum to prolapse.

Prevention:

A high-fiber diet and a daily intake of plenty of fluids can reduce a person’s risk of developing constipation. Straining during bowel movements should be avoided. A person with long-term diarrhea, constipation, or hemorrhoids should seek medical attention to treat these conditions in order to lessen the chance of developing a prolapsed rectum.