Anorectal symptoms of emotional origin.

Abstract

The anorectal region is an area of the body which produces strong emotional reactions, so it is not surprising that functional symptoms are commonly located there. Although the proctologist has made great progress in the diagnosis and treatment of organic conditions; he has nevertheless given too little of his attention to the problem of functional disease. It is somewhat difficult to understand why the organic-minded physician, who so readily blames a minor structural deviation for severe and persistent symptoms, will reject consideration of the role of the brain and nervous system as a possible cause. In this age of narrow specialization it is easy to focus on a part, and forget the patient. Too often the specialist takes credit for relieving symptoms, and fails to realize that the patient is still not well, because the underlying emotional problem is still present and the symptoms have merely been shifted to another part of the body. It is unfortunate that treatment of functional illness is still so unsatisfactory, yet, progress is bound to come. The policy of nonrecognition of emotionally induced symptoms, and the technic of substitution of an organic-sounding diagnosis serve only to delay the eventual solution. Until then, the proctologist should implement his scope and scalpel with common sense and a broad understanding. Sometimes the greatest aid to a broad understanding occurs when the physician, after trying to cope with these functional symptoms day after day, finally develops a few of them himself.