According to a new study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the rates of colon cancer are rising among millennials while rates for the older generation are decreasing.

The study found out that colon cancer rates increased by 2.4% between the mid-1980s and 2013 among people aged 20 to 29 years old, and also increased by 1% among adults aged 30 to 39 years old.

What’s even more surprising is that the study also shows a decline of colon cancer rates among people aged 50 and above, when in fact it is this age group that is believed to be the most at risk for the disease. As a result, people born in 1990 have double the risk of colon cancer compared to those born in 1950.

Obesity To Be Blamed

Rebecca Siegel, lead researcher for the study, said that their findings point to a growing incidence of colorectal cancer among millennials and Gen X-ers. The study cites obesity as the number one reason for the rising rates. Other risk factors include sedentary lifestyles, excessive alcohol consumption, and unhealthy dietary habits—all of which are prevalent among the younger generation.

Earlier Screening Encouraged

The study further recommends that colonoscopy be done at an earlier stage. Normally, the procedure is done to people turning 50, while people who have a personal and family history of colon cancer are encouraged to take the screening at the age of 45.

However, the study suggests to take an earlier colonoscopy screening regardless of whether or not you have a history. “As nearly one-third of rectal cancer patients are younger than age 55 years, screening initiation before age 50 years should be considered.”

Getting a colonoscopy is not by any means a fun experience, but it could be the key to colon cancer prevention. Please contact the Proctology Institute to set up a colonoscopy appointment today.

If you feel a lump in your anus, seeing your primary care physician or family doctor might not be enough. If you want to receive top-notch medical care for your difficulties down there, you need to see a specialist.

There is a misconception that a proctologist only deals with hemorrhoids. This is simply not the case. A proctologist also specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions that affect the rectum, anus, and colon. Here are the most common reasons why you need a proctologist in your life:

You’re over 50.

According to the American Cancer Society, you need to have a colonoscopy done by a proctologist every 10 years once you turn 50. Even if you’re healthy and you don’t have a family history of colon cancer, it’s time to book your appointment with a proctologist. Doing this can detect colon cancer at an early stage. Any suspicious polyps found during a colonoscopy can be removed before it develops into cancer.

You have a personal and family history.

If you have a personal history of inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease, or if an immediate family member has colon cancer, you are considered a “high risk” for colon cancer. Therefore, colonoscopy screening should start as early as 40, and should be done every 3 to 5 years.

You hurt down there.

If you experience pain and itchiness, and you have bleeding in your anus, then something is definitely amiss. You need to consult with the best Los Angeles proctologist to determine if you have hemorrhoids, anal fissures, or something else entirely.

Once a diagnosis has been made by our proctologist at the Institute, we will discuss the best treatment option for you. As much as possible, we use the least invasive form of treatment to make the whole process as convenient and comfortable as possible.

You’ve already gone through hundreds of sitz baths. You’re sick and tired of eating oatmeal just to load up on fiber. And yet your hemorrhoids continue to make life difficult. Perhaps now is the time to talk to your proctologist about going under the knife.

Hemorrhoidectomy is an outpatient procedure done by a proctologist to remove hemorrhoids. Using a scalpel or laser, the doctor cuts through the hemorrhoids precisely and have them permanently removed from the patient’s body.

It should be noted that a hemorrhoidectomy procedure is done only after all the other options have been exercised. If conservative management and minimally invasive surgeries are no longer effective, then that’s the only time the doctor will suggest to have the surgery done. This is usually done to people who have experienced significant bleeding, and whose hemorrhoids have already prolapsed. The procedure takes about an hour to finish and is done using general or local anesthesia.

What to Do After a Hemorrhoidectomy

After a hemorrhoidectomy procedure, you will feel pain in your anal area for the next couple of weeks. Pain reliever and hydrocortisone topical cream may be prescribed by your Los Angeles anal surgeon to deal with the pain and itchiness. Ice packs and sitz baths will also help with the discomfort.

It is normal to have difficulty urinating during the first couple of times after surgery. There may even be bleeding after every bowel movement, which will stop once the anus and rectum have healed completely.

So don’t panic and allow yourself enough time to heal. Don’t move too quickly or lift anything too heavy until you feel better. There will also be a follow-up medical appointment weeks after the procedure so that the proctologist can check up on your recovery. You can contact the Proctology Institute if you have more questions about this procedure.

The moment you feel a bump on your anal area and things start getting uncomfortable down there, you need to be concerned. There’s no need to panic just yet, but you do need to figure out if what you have are skin tags or hemorrhoids because treatment is different for these two medical conditions.

Let’s take a closer look, shall we? You can easily tell which is which judging by their appearance. Skin tags appear as small flaps or folds in the skin, and are of the same color as your skin. Hemorrhoids appear as lumps, and are dark blue or purple in color because of the swollen veins underneath.

What Causes Them to Appear?

Skin tags appear in spots where there is friction caused by skin rubbing together. They frequently appear in the neck, armpits, eyelids, groin, and anus.

On the other hand, hemorrhoids are caused by the increased pressure on the rectum or anus, which happens whenever there is excessive straining in the toilet or sitting for an extended period of time.

Best Treatment for Anal Skin Tags and Hemorrhoids

Skin tags don’t go away on their own. Since they are harmless, treatment is unnecessary until they become itchy and unsightly. You can have them safely removed by a Los Angeles anal doctor. Skin tags should not be disregarded completely, though. They pose a health risk if the tags are malignant, so it’s best to monitor them carefully and to consult with a doctor to ensure they are not cancerous.

Hemorrhoids are treated using topical creams, which are used to treat the pain and symptoms. Getting them removed is an entirely different matter and will require the help of a Los Angeles anal doctor.

Knowing the difference between the two allows you to get the help you need. Both skin tags and hemorrhoids can be treated here at the Institute. Please call or visit us today!

The most common and convenient way to remove an uncomfortable hemorrhoid is through rubber band ligation. During this procedure, a Los Angeles hemorrhoid doctor places a rubber band on the hemorrhoid to cut off its blood supply. Because this is minimally invasive, most people prefer this method for its simplicity.

The proctologist will conduct a physical exam on a patient’s rectum using an anoscope, which is a viewing instrument that allows the doctor to see the hemorrhoid up close and personal.

The doctor will then gently pull the hemorrhoid away from the intestinal wall, and put a rubber band on its base. The rubber band will restrict the blood supply to the hemorrhoid, causing it to shrivel up and fall off on its own after a couple of days.

A patient can request for anesthesia or sedation if they find the entire process too uncomfortable. The entire procedure can take around 5 to 10 minutes to complete.

Risks from the Procedure

Rubber band ligation is safe, and complications are rare. However, just like any other operation, there are small risks involved. People respond differently to the procedure, and some have complained of bleeding, pain, and swelling in the anal area. Difficulty in urination may also be experienced.

Bleeding is considered as the main risk. Patients will notice a small amount of bleeding on the place where the bands cut through the hemorrhoid for the first couple of days.

During the first few weeks after the surgery, it is recommended that strenuous physical activities such as heavy lifting should be avoided to reduce the risk of complications.

If your hemorrhoids are causing you a lot of pain and discomfort, please call or visit us at the Proctology Institute so we can discuss the best treatment options for you.