Anal symptoms Assessment Questionnaire

Questions Your Doctor May Ask - and Why!

During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques to assess the symptom: Anal symptoms. These will include a physical examination and possibly diagnostic tests. (Note: A physical exam is always done, diagnostic tests may or may not be performed depending on the suspected condition) Your doctor will ask several questions when assessing your condition. It is important to openly share any pertinent information to help your doctor make an accurate diagnosis.

It is also very important to bring an up-to-date list of all of your all medical conditions, medications including dosages, and names of numbers of any specialist you see.

Create your printable checklist by answering questions that your doctor may ask below:

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How long have you noticed the anal symptoms
Why: determine if acute or chronic.
Was there an event that caused the symptoms to appear initially?
Why: perianal haematoma may appear following straining at toilet or some other effort involving strain , episode of constipation can predispose to anal fissure , unsafe sex may increase risk of anal herpes.
Are the anal symptoms there all the time or does it come and go?
Why: A lump that comes and goes indicates a prolapse of a lesion from the rectum e.g. rectal prolapse, rectal polyp or internal hemorrhoids, Proctalgia fugax is rectal pain lasting 3-30mins often waking person at night.
If the anal symptoms occur intermittently, what causes them to appear?
Why: e.g. prolapse occurs during bowel evacuation, anal itch can occur with hot weather, exercise or sweating.
Medical history of Inflammatory bowel disease?
Why: may indicate increased risk of perianal abscess.
Medical history of Diabetes?
Why: may indicate increased risk of perianal abscess.
History of Sexually transmitted infections?
Why: may indicate increased chance of perianal warts or anal herpes.
Is there a family history of colorectal cancer or polyps?
Why: may indicate increased risk of rectal cancer, perianal abscess.
Have you experienced any anal itch?
Why: This can be one anal symptom linked to both infectious and dermatological disease.
Do you experience fecal incontinence?
Why: Fecal incontinence is a symptom which can cause disruption to both the health and general wellbeing of an individual. As such, it is important for you to discuss it with your health professional so that they can help you with strategies to maintain and improve your lifestyle despite this often embarrassing symptom.
Have you noticed any blood coming from within or around your anus, and if so can you tell me about it?
Why: Anal blood loss can be an important sign of many conditions such as bowel cancer/anal cancer, hemorrhoids, anal fissure or gastrointestinal hemorrhage.
Have you noticed any abnormal anal discharge?
Why: This is a symptom which can suggest an anal/perianal infection (Proctitis). It can also suggest some types of bowel/anal tumor (anal polyp) or bowel disease (inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis).
Can you tell me both about your usual bowel habit, and your recent bowel habit?
Why: A recent change in your bowel habit, or a chronically abnormal bowel habit can be indications of gastrointestinal disease. A recently abnormal bowel habit may be caused by bowel cancer or constipation. Chronic constipation can result in bowel cancer or diverticulosis/diverticulitis, whilst a chronically fluctuating bowel habit (episodes of constipation and diarrhea) can be seen in irritable bowel syndrome. Acute diarrhea can reflect infections, whereas chronic diarrhea can reflect inflammatory bowel disease.
How have you been otherwise?
Why: Whilst you may have come to see your health professional about a particular anal symptom or group of anal symptoms, they may actually be the result of a more general disease process. It is important for you to give your health professional as complete a picture about your health (both recent and in the past) as possible. Even if you think that it may not be relevant, it may still be very important information.
Have you recently or ever suffered any anal trauma?
Why: This can be a very sensitive topic, and may include instances of forced anal entry/intercourse or sexual abuse. Whilst perhaps being a difficult topic to discuss, the symptoms you may be currently experiencing may actually have some relationship to recent or past anal trauma.
Can you tell me about your usual hygiene, particularly around your anus and genitals?
Why: Your personal hygiene habits hygiene products may play a role in causing disease processes which can result in anal symptoms, particularly skin products (creams, lotions, powders).
Is there pain?
Why: may indicate perianal haematoma, strangulated internal hemorrhoids, perianal abscess, anal fissure, anal herpes, ulcerative proctitis, proctalgia fugax or rectal ulcer.
Constipation?
Why: predisposes to hemorrhoids, perianal haematoma, rectal prolapse, faecal incontinence, anal fissure, skin tags and itch.
Rectal bleeding or blood on the toilet paper?
Why: may indicate perianal haematoma, hemorrhoids, colorectal or anal cancer, rectal polyp, anal fissure, rectal ulcer or diverticulitis.
Passage of mucous?
Why: may occur with benign or malignant rectal tumors.
Fever?
Why: may indicate perianal abscess.
Perianal itch?
Why: may indicate hemorrhoids, genital warts, fissure, local dermatitis.
Weight loss?
Why: may indicate malignancy.
Prostate symptoms? May indicate prostate condition, but usually causes a feeling of rectal fullness rather than actual lump

Conditions listing medical symptoms: Anal symptoms:

The following list of conditions have 'Anal symptoms' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.

Select from the following alphabetical view of conditions which include a symptom of Anal symptoms or choose View All.

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Conditions listing medical complications: Anal symptoms:

The following list of medical conditions have 'Anal symptoms' or similar listed as a medical complication in our database.

» Next page: Types of Anal symptoms

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