Recurrent Fissures, Surgery and Mula Bandah

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Hi,

I’ve been dealing with recurrent anal fissures for five years now. I get tearing and bleeding frequently. I’ve seen a slew of doctors and alternative healers trying to find a treatment aside from steroids. I’ve studied yoga and meditation, I’ve tried loads of diets and frankly I’m pretty tired of the alternative approaches. A naturopath, one who prefers the least invasive approaches recommended surgery. It is a simple procedure that should eliminate the problem with very little chance of side effects. Since I have no proof that any other therapy is going to be able to heal the problem (five years of trying…) I’ve decided to go for it.

Then I told a yoga teacher and his eyes got huge and he said, “They are going to cut mula bandah!?!” This procedure cuts the internal anal sphincter which has autonomic innervation. A surgeon will cut it enough that it wont cause tearing in the future but wont allow the contents of my rectum to leak.

Energetically speaking though, am I doing a massive misdeed?

I am so at the end of my rope here.

Any thoughts?

Jason

#2

Hi Jason,

First of all moola bandha is a lock in yoga associated correctly with the perineum and people wrongly contract the sphinxter. I hope this answers your question. Secondly, how can you cut the bandha if your not holding it? I don’t understand the concern of your yoga teacher here.

Also remember that such extreme duration of pain keeps you body conscious and your attachment just grows, so perhaps it is time to follow the advice of your medical practitioner.

#3

I think his concern may have been centered on the effects on the root chakra, not mula bandah. I think I was the one who got confused.

#4

Hi,

I understand the concerns and share some of it, but also remember that although we correspond our chakras with physical counter parts, they are in fact on a level that is not physical. I think then we should also be worried about sticking needles (accupuncture) into certain spots on our meridians and I am very accident prone, I should therefore worry about all the times I ripped or cut myself near or even into some of my chakra points.

Hope this helps.

#5

Hello Jason.

It is a very complex question you pose to a yoga group.
One of the complexities is that you are reaching into a group of supposed holistic practitioners and inquiring about the nature of allopathic surgical remedy.

If you have mindfully decided on the surgery for whatever reason(s) and are simply looking for reassurance regarding mulha bandha this should be explored with the person you have selected as your teacher (in more depth so it is understood). I would not express such a concern to a student who has chosen the allopathic surgical path.

On the other hand, if you are still exploring alternative methodologies for healing this issue…
then I would require having a more detailed outline of the “everything” you’ve tried. In some cases a potpourri of alternative “solutions” can cloud the otherwise clear lake water. An alternative approach needs patience, focus, and commitment. I do however completely understand your frustrations.

#6

if u want help go for ayurveda which had medicines and not yoga practice.

#7

Hi, I’m new to yoga, but not to medicine, as I’m a doctor. I don’t want to sound rude or offensive in any way - and my apologies if I do - but after 5 years, I suggest you go with the surgery.

You have already tried other treatments with no results. There is a misconception that holistic medicine shuns “regular” medicine. This is baloney, it simply means that they try to incorporate other modalities, such as homeopathy, acupuncture, etc, into the current context of medical care. You cannot, despite what some say, “acupuncture” your way out of a disease or ailment, even more when said disease or ailment has been defined. Holistic practitioners that forgo “regular” medicine are doing a disservice to their clients.

Anal fissures are a common occurrence, and if bothersome enough may require surgery. Besides the obvious physical discomfort, the fissure may become a source/focus of infection later on. The procedure is simple enough to a practicing surgeon, and you should be ok. You have other chakras and energy points in the body, you can live without “mula bandah”. If anything, you will feel MORE energy knowing you can go on with your life without that thing bothering you!