Pain in the anus or its surroundings most often occurs when passing stools or after defecation. However, in some cases, the pain in the anus can also be annoying when we are not in the toilet, e.g. while sitting at work or at night. Regardless of when you experience pain in the anus and what symptoms accompany it, you should see your doctor as soon as possible, as it can mean serious diseases, including cancer. Find out what the causes of anal pain are.
Pain in the anusor its surroundings most often occurs when passing stools or after defecation. However, in some cases, the pain in the anus can also be annoying when we are not in the toilet, e.g. when sitting at work or at night.
Pain in the anus - which is most often referred to as stinging - can be accompanied by various symptoms, e.g. abdominal pain, burning sensation in the anus. Regardless of the nature of the pain, the time of its onset and accompanying symptoms, you should see a doctor. Anal pain can indicate many serious diseases.
Anal pain - causes. Hemorrhoids
The most common causes of pain around the anus are hemorrhoids - hemorrhoids, anal varices - i.e. varicose veins of the rectal plexus, in the form of easily bleeding nodules. The main symptom of the disease is bleeding from the anus with fresh, bright blood. The accompanying symptoms are - apart from pain in the anus - itching of the anus and its surroundings, the feeling of incomplete bowel movements, which prompts a stronger pressure.
Over time, the lump falls out - after defecation, it can be felt around the anus. The early stages of the disease can be treated conservatively (suppositories, ointments, sitz baths, regularization of bowel movements), advanced forms are treated surgically by excising the nodules along with the excess mucosa.
Anal pain - causes. Levator ani syndrome
Levator anus syndrome is a disease in which the levator ani muscle becomes over-contracted, which, along with several other muscles, forms the pelvic diaphragm.
His job, as the name suggests, is to lift his anus. As a result of contraction of the levator ani muscle in the area of the anus, sacrum and coccyx, pain appears that is distressing, causes the feeling of "ball in the rectum", usually lasts no longer than 20 minutes, is chronic, is localized in the upper partrectum, sometimes radiating to the buttocks and thighs.
One of the methods of treatment is electro-galvanic stimulation of levator ani muscles with high voltage. Therapy may also include painkillers, hot baths, pelvic exercises, and massage.
Worth knowingAnal pain
- occurs during a bowel movement or intensifies when you pass stools - anal fissures, anal cancer
- occurs constantly - abscess, tumor or clotted hemorrhage
- is so strong you can't sit - perianal abscess
- it is accompanied by swelling and redness - inflammations and abscesses. There may also be discharge (common in fungal infections)
- if a hard, painful lump suddenly appears, it is most likely a clotted hemorrhoid
- if there is rectal bleeding - hemorrhoids, anal fissures
Anal pain - causes. Anal fissure
An anal fissure is a long, narrow and shallow tear in the mucosa of the final section of the anal canal (the so-called anoderm), which occurs when the rectal mucosa exceeds the stretching capacity. In the course of this disease, pain around the anus usually appears on bowel movements and lasts half an hour afterwards.
It is described as strong, sharp, burning or prickly. Accompanying symptoms are rectal bleeding - usually during bowel movements, usually small, but sometimes very heavy, with fresh blood. Then the traces of blood are on the stool, toilet paper, underwear, strong pressure on the stool, itching and burning of the anus.
The treatment consists of a high-residual diet, drugs that soften and relax the stool, anti-inflammatory drugs, agents that reduce the tension of the sphincters (eg local botox injections, use of nitric oxide ointment, nitroglycerin ointment); nipple in warm water.
Anal pain - causes. Anal abscess
Symptoms of an anal abscess depend on the size of the abscess and its location. The leading symptom is severe pain around the anus, which increases with changing body position and defecation. Usually the pains are first occasional, paroxysmal. Every day they become more and more intense and constant.
Most often, painful swelling and redness of the skin appear around the anus. Patients avoid stools due to pain during defecation. The slightest touch around the anus hurts. Changing the position of the body makes it worse. In anal abscess, patients often report symptoms of urination disorders, such as pollakiuria, painful urination, and acute urinary retention.
Win the case of a high abscess formation, general symptoms appear, such as an increase in body temperature, chills and malaise. Muco-purulent contents with an admixture of blood are released from the anus. Anal itching, bowel and stool disorders appear.
Anal pain - causes. Venereal diseases
Gonococcal proctitis (in people who have anal sex) may be asymptomatic. In symptomatic inflammation there are: burning and / or itching in the anus, mucous discharge from the anus, and abnormal bowel movements.
Chlamydia-causing bacteria can also infect the mouth or anus through anal or oral intercourse.
In women, genital herpes most often occurs on the labia, clitoris, at the entrance to the vagina, on the thighs, navel, at the anus, in men on the glans and shaft of the penis, but also in the perineum, buttocks, anus and also thighs.
Ulcers and other symptoms may go away after a few weeks, but the virus remains in the body and causes, though not all, periodically relapses: usually after 3 - 12 months, often in the same places.
Anal pain - causes. Anal cancer
Anal cancer may be asymptomatic for many years. Only at an advanced stage of development may appear: blood in the stool, bleeding from the anus, diarrhea and / or constipation, a feeling of incomplete bowel movements, intestinal colic that causes the need for a bowel movement, pain in the abdomen and / or perineum.
Anal pain - causes
Also, diseases that are not directly related to the anus may cause pain, such as:
- ovarian torsion
- degeneration of the lumbosacral spine
- coccyx injury
- neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis
- bone tumors
- inflammation of the peripheral nerves
- kokcygodynia (tailbone pain)
