Rectal Pain
What is rectal pain?
Rectal pain is typically any pain or discomfort in the anus, rectum, or lower portion of the gastrointestinal tract. Patients usually feel rectal pain after a bowel movement. While rectal pain is a condition, it is often a symptom of an underlying medical issue, including:
- Hemorrhoids: Swollen veins in your anus and lower rectum, similar to varicose veins.
- Anal fissures: A small tear in the thin, moist tissue (mucosa) that lines the anus.
- Anal fistulas: A small tunnel that connects an abscess (an infected cavity in the anus) to an opening on the skin around the anus.
- Sexually transmitted infection: STIs may spread from the genitals to the rectum, or the infection can be transmitted during anal sex.
- Muscle spasm (proctalgia fugax): Muscle spasms in the rectal muscles.
- Perianal hematoma: A collection of blood drains into the tissues around the anal opening. When the blood pools, it causes a lump to form at the anal opening.
What are the symptoms of rectal pain?
Oftentimes, rectal pain is accompanied by other symptoms:
- Itching
- Stinging
- Discharge
- Bleeding
How is rectal pain treated?
Dr. Meyerson will do a sigmoidoscopy to look in your anus with a flexible lighted tube called a sigmoidoscope to determine the cause of your rectal pain. Some causes like muscle spasms can be treated with ointments. Other causes like hemorrhoids can be treated with an in-office procedure like rubber band ligation. And other causes like anal fistulas require outpatient surgery.