Ba Liansong on Anorectal Diseases

Author: BAI Liansong (Editor), BAI You'an (Editor)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-09-01
Features: Hemorrhoid disease is a common and frequently-occurring clinical condition. In recent years, with the improvement of people's living standards and changes in dietary habits, the incidence of such diseases has shown a significant increase, severely affecting people's daily lives and work. Hemorrhoid disease refers to diseases occurring in the anus to the ileocecal junction and the surrounding area, including conditions such as hemorrhoids, anal fissures, anal fistulas, perianal diseases, inflammatory bowel disease, and colorectal tumors. Traditional Chinese medical literature provides detailed records of the causes, treatments, and principles for managing these conditions. For example, the Danzhi Xinfa states: "Hemorrhoids are primarily caused by the deficiency of internal organs, external exposure to wind and dampness, internal accumulation of heat and toxins, excessive indulgence in food and drink, and excessive sexual desire, leading to the descent of qi and blood, their stagnation at the anus, and the accumulation of retained pathogens that cause hemorrhoids." The Suwen·Shengqi Tongtian Lun says: "After a full meal, the tendons and veins become disordered, and the intestines deviate, resulting in hemorrhoids." Traditional Chinese medicine primarily attributes the causes of hemorrhoids to factors such as wind, dampness, heat, dryness, qi deficiency, blood deficiency, emotional injury, overexertion, and improper diet. Under the influence of these causes, a series of syndromes develop, such as blood in the stool, swelling and pain, a sense of fullness and descent, and prolapse. Common treatment principles for hemorrhoid disease include clearing heat, dispelling wind, draining dampness, detoxifying, promoting bowel movement, and invigorating qi and strengthening the spleen.
Over the past 40 years working in traditional Chinese medicine surgery and hemorrhoidology, the author has meticulously combined traditional Chinese medicine methods with advanced modern medical techniques, focusing on hemorrhoid disease as his primary area of expertise. He has accumulated considerable experience and developed a series of effective oral formulas for clinical use, as well as numerous highly effective treatment methods. Based on the etiology of traditional Chinese medicine, he proposed the theory that blood stasis and toxicity are inevitable in chronic diseases, and acute or severe conditions are characterized by toxicity. For the treatment of chronic hemorrhoidal prolapse that is unsuitable for surgery, supplementing qi and lifting the prolapse while clearing heat and draining dampness, along with resolving blood stasis, can yield excellent results. In the treatment of acute anal fissures, perianal abscesses, and colorectal tumors, detoxification methods achieve remarkable effects.
External treatment methods are unique and highly effective. Examples include:
- Suppository method: Medicines are made into suppositories (e.g., hemorrhoid reduction pills) and inserted into the anus for relief.
- External application method: Medicines are mixed with oils to form ointments and applied to the affected area.
- Fumigation and washing method: Decoctions of Chinese herbal medicines are used to bathe the affected area while it is still warm, or towels soaked in the medicinal decoction are applied to the area while warm (e.g., hemorrhoid fumigation and washing formula).
- Enema method: Medicines (e.g., Yanning enema solution) are directly administered into the rectum to ensure the medication reaches the affected site directly.
In recent decades, with the development of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine hemorrhoid surgery, traditional surgical methods have undergone significant improvements. Examples include:
- Injection therapy: Hardening agents (e.g., Shuguang No. 1) are injected into various parts of the hemorrhoids to cause atrophy.
- Double-thread ligation method: Used to treat high-complexity anal fistulas, avoiding incontinence and shortening the course of treatment.
To meet the needs of society and patients for further understanding of related issues, this book aims to comprehensively and popularly introduce the basic knowledge and preventive care of hemorrhoid disease, serving as a reference and for correction.