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Anal pain



NHS Choices Syndication

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Anal pain

Introduction

Anal pain (pain in the bottom) can be distressing, but is often just the result of a minor treatable condition. See your GP for a diagnosis and treatment advice.

Many people with anal pain will develop constipation, which can make the discomfort worse when going to the toilet.

Your GP should be able to diagnose the cause of your pain after an inspection of your bottom, or after a gentle rectal examination.

If the cause is not immediately obvious, your GP may refer you to a specialist for advice and for other investigations, such as an endoscopic examination (where a thin, flexible instrument with a camera is inserted into your bottom).

Your GP may prescribe medication to relieve the pain, and advise you on how to treat constipation. This may be all the treatment you need.

Common causes

The most likely causes of anal pain are:

  • an anal fissure
  • a pile that contains a blood clot
  • an abscess

Anal fissure 

An anal fissure is a small tear in the skin of the anus, which can cause a sharp, knife-like pain when you open your bowels. It can be caused by passing a hard stool.

If you have an anal fissure, there may be a small amount of blood on the toilet paper after you wipe (read more about rectal bleeding). 

Many anal fissures heal on their own. If it persists, you may need special ointment that relaxes the ring of muscle around your anus. Occasionally, you may need an examination under anaesthetic by a specialist in hospital.

Anal abscess

An anal abscess (pus-filled lump) will usually cause a throbbing pain that gets worse over a few days. If it’s small, the abscess may drain naturally and disappear without any treatment.

Your GP may prescribe antibiotics in the early stages. If the abscess persists, you will probably need to have it drained in hospital to release the pus, usually under a general anaesthetic.

Piles (haemorrhoids) and perianal haematoma

Anal pain can sometimes be caused by piles or a perianal haematoma (burst blood vessel under the skin at the edge of the anus). 

Piles can become painful when they become “strangulated” and bulge outside the anus, developing a blood clot. They are usually treated with painkillers, ointments and sometimes ice packs, although surgery is occasionally needed.

A perianal haematoma is usually relieved by a simple procedure to remove the clot using a local anaesthetic, sometimes done by your GP.

Less common causes

Other less common causes of anal pain include:

  • an inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s disease  where there may be anal fissures and abscesses, as well as swelling (inflammation) in the rectum
  • another type of infection  such as a fungal infection or rectal sexually transmitted infection (STI)
  • a bone-related problem – such as coccydynia (pain from your tailbone) or referred pain from your lower back, pelvis or hips, caused by arthritis or bone tumours
  • a urinary tract problem – such as prostatitis (inflammation or infection of the prostate gland)
  • proctalgia fugax  this is a fleeting pain, with no known cause, that’s usually diagnosed when other causes of pain have been ruled out; paracetamol and a warm bath may provide some relief
  • levator ani syndrome  a condition where muscle spasms occur in short bursts, with no symptoms apart from pain; this may need to be treated with a muscle relaxant
  • cancer of the anus or lower rectum

You can click on the above links for more information on these conditions.

Published Date
2014-08-15 14:39:57Z
Last Review Date
2014-08-05 00:00:00Z
Next Review Date
2016-08-05 00:00:00Z
Classification
Aches, pains and soreness,Anal bleeding,Anal fissure,Anal fistula,Anus,Crohn's disease,Haemorrhoids,Intestinal and stomach conditions,Rectal examination,Ulcerative colitis

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