Lower GI / Colorectal

Lower GI / Colorectal

Colorectal conditions cause concern and discomfort. Lower GI symptoms can also be uncomfortable and painful, so it’s important to seek help from a professional for diagnostics and treatment.

At One Health, we dedicate ourselves to your care and aftercare. We use modern techniques and technology to diagnose and treat conditions, helping you live comfortably.

Common conditions

Some lower gastrointestinal conditions are managed using non-surgical treatment and changes to your diet. However, surgery is also common for key conditions.

• Common lower GI conditions include haemorrhoids (piles), anal fissures, and anal fistulas, which can cause discomfort, bleeding, and pain during bowel movements.
• Inflammatory conditions like diverticular disease and diverticulitis can also develop, causing abdominal pain and changes in bowel habits.
• Rectal prolapse, where part of the bowel drops down, and chronic constipation are conditions that can significantly impact the quality of life. 
• Pilonidal sinus, a condition affecting the tailbone area, is another common complaint that may need surgical treatment.
• Many patients also seek treatment for functional bowel disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and chronic conditions affecting bowel control.

Lower GI / Colorectal Treatments

Whether you’re experiencing symptoms or have a known condition requiring treatment, the One Health consultants can help. From diagnostics to procedures, we aim to help you feel better.

• Repair of anal fissure
• Flexible sigmoidoscopy
• Colonoscopy

Preparation

Before your procedure, the consultant will ask if you’d like gas and air or a sedative. If you have the sedative, you must arrange for someone to pick you up from the appointment, as you won’t be able to drive for 24 hours.

If you’re having a colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy, you should only eat plain foods for two days before the procedure. One day before the appointment, the clinic will give you sachets of laxatives to drink to empty your bowels. You may not be able to eat for six hours before the procedure. Confirm the specifics of your treatment preparation with your healthcare team.

Risks and complications

As with any procedure, lower GI and colorectal treatments have risks and complications. You can discuss the specific risks with your doctor.

Risks include:

• Damage to your large bowel. This may cause bloating and pain. Medicine or surgery will treat the problem
• Heavy bleeding. You may need a transfusion to help with blood loss

Stomach cramps following the procedure are normal. You may also notice a small amount of blood.

Recovering from Lower GI / Colorectal treatments

The appointment will last 15-45 minutes. You should expect to be at the hospital for a few hours. If you had a sedative, you may feel tired and need to rest at home.