Anal Pain

What is anal pain?

Anal pain is felt in your anus, anal canal, and/or rectum, which form the end of your digestive system. This area is called the perianal region, and it has many nerve endings. Because of this, anal pain can be severe.

Anal pain can have many causes. You might experience anal pain after anal intercourse, or if you have constipation and pass a large, hard stool. Chronic constipation can lead to fecal impaction, where a large mass of hard stool blocks the rectum. Diarrhea can also cause inflammation and pain.

Your anal pain might be due to tailbone pain (coccydynia) rather than a problem in the anal canal. It could also be a condition called levator ani syndrome, which causes spasms of the muscles surrounding your anus, or another condition called proctalgia fugax, which causes rectal muscle spasms. Many diseases can also cause anal pain.

What diseases cause anal pain?

Diseases that can cause anal pain include:

• Anal cancer
• Anal fissures
• Crohn’s disease
• Hemorrhoids
• Proctitis (rectal inflammation)
• Rectal ulcers
• Perianal abscess
• Ulcerative colitis

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD conditions are chronic problems that cause inflammation and ulceration in the digestive system. They can also cause diarrhea and constipation, which trigger anal pain.

Hemorrhoids are swollen, painful blood vessels that can develop on the anus (external hemorrhoids) or in the anal canal (internal hemorrhoids). They can sometimes form blood clots (thrombosed hemorrhoid).

How is anal pain treated?

To treat your anal pain successfully, the team at Colon and Rectal Surgeons of Greater Hartford needs to determine what’s causing the problem. They have access to cutting-edge diagnostic technologies, and the team has extensive experience diagnosing anal disorders.

Treatment can begin immediately following a diagnosis.

Conditions like hemorrhoids can resolve on their own, but you might need to have an in-office procedure to remove or destroy them. The Colon and Rectal Surgeons of Greater Hartford team specializes in using the THD (transanal hemorrhoidal dearterialization) procedure. THD is a minimally invasive surgery that causes minimal pain and promotes faster healing.

IBD is a chronic, incurable disorder that requires long-term management. You might also need to undergo surgery for some causes of anal pain.

If you have anal pain, find relief by calling Colon and Rectal Surgeons of Greater Hartford today or book an appointment online.