Severe Rectal Pain at Night: Proctalgia Fugax

[cuzman]

hey doctor steve my questions a little hard to explain i have been getting realy bad pains from inside my rectom feels like someone is fisting me from in side out . there realy bad ive been told from other non doctor friends it might be a spastic colon , or just plain contipated...not realy sure pain usualy comes at night wakes me up in the featal poition. im a truckdriver and set for 11 hours a day , usaly have bowel movments 3 - 4 times aweek..anything you can tell me will help thanks ....cuzman from tenn..
ps by the way im a male 44yrs old

[Dr Steve]

hey doctor steve my questions a little hard to explain i have been getting realy bad pains from inside my rectom feels like someone is fisting me from in side out . there realy bad ive been told from other non doctor friends it might be a spastic colon , or just plain contipated...not realy sure pain usualy comes at night wakes me up in the featal poition. im a truckdriver and set for 11 hours a day , usaly have bowel movments 3 - 4 times aweek..anything you can tell me will help thanks ....cuzman from tenn..

Cuzman:

Pain in the rectum is called "proctalgia", but that's really not a diagnosis, just a description of the problem (procto=rectal, algia or odynia=pain). Proctalgia can have many causes:

1) rectal fissure
this is a tear in the rectum that causes severe pain...thing is, it shouldn't just hurt at night...rectal fissure pain is excrutiating during bowel movement. Since you didn't mention that, we'll set this one aside for now

2) Hemorrhoids
If you have an internal hemorrhoid that is twisting inside, it could cause this kind of pain, I suppose. I'd expect an external hemorrhoid to hurt when you sit, etc., though. This one's possible.

4) foreign bodies, inflammatory bowel diseases, or tumors
I don't think you have this, but if none of the other stuff in this response pans out, you really need to get a doc to look up your rectum with either an anoscope (an easy procedure that doesn't require anesthesia) or a fiberoptic scope (sigmoidoscope or colonoscope).

3) Proctalgia fugax
this is most likely what you have. I'll quote emedicine on this one:
The pain of proctalgia fugax is sudden and intense—usually lasting less than a minute. But in some rare cases, the spasm can go on for an hour. It is described as a sharp, stabbing, or cramplike pain occurring at the anal opening. The pain can awaken you from a sound sleep. The attacks seem to occur in clusters, appearing daily for a while then disappearing for weeks or months.

Proctalgia fugax is thought to be caused by a "charleyhorse" in the rectal muscles. Painful as hell! There are a ton of treatments for this...one you can do at home is to simply put pressure on "the taint" by straddling a bathtub. Your healthcare provider can prescribe some medication as well, though if he/she has never heard of proctalgia fugax, you may need to see a proctologist (someone who specializes in diseases of the anus and rectum).

Hope this helps. go see someone. get it checked out. get it fixed.

I'm using this question on the Christmas edition of Weird Medicine, December 27th, so thanks!


ps by the way im a male 44yrs old

Hot!

[nate1000]

Cuzman:

Pain in the rectum is called "proctalgia", but that's really not a diagnosis, just a description of the problem (procto=rectal, algia or odynia=pain). Proctalgia can have many causes:

1) rectal fissure
this is a tear in the rectum that causes severe pain...thing is, it shouldn't just hurt at night...rectal fissure pain is excrutiating during bowel movement. Since you didn't mention that, we'll set this one aside for now

2) Hemorrhoids
If you have an internal hemorrhoid that is twisting inside, it could cause this kind of pain, I suppose. I'd expect an external hemorrhoid to hurt when you sit, etc., though. This one's possible.

4) foreign bodies, inflammatory bowel diseases, or tumors
I don't think you have this, but if none of the other stuff in this response pans out, you really need to get a doc to look up your rectum with either an anoscope (an easy procedure that doesn't require anesthesia) or a fiberoptic scope (sigmoidoscope or colonoscope).

3) Proctalgia fugax
this is most likely what you have. I'll quote emedicine on this one:
The pain of proctalgia fugax is sudden and intense—usually lasting less than a minute. But in some rare cases, the spasm can go on for an hour. It is described as a sharp, stabbing, or cramplike pain occurring at the anal opening. The pain can awaken you from a sound sleep. The attacks seem to occur in clusters, appearing daily for a while then disappearing for weeks or months.

Proctalgia fugax is thought to be caused by a "charleyhorse" in the rectal muscles. Painful as hell! There are a ton of treatments for this...one you can do at home is to simply put pressure on "the taint" by straddling a bathtub. Your healthcare provider can prescribe some medication as well, though if he/she has never heard of proctalgia fugax, you may need to see a proctologist (someone who specializes in diseases of the anus and rectum).

Hope this helps. go see someone. get it checked out. get it fixed.

I'm using this question on the Christmas edition of Weird Medicine, December 27th, so thanks!




Hot!

What he said.

Or Rape.

You might want to take a look behind you when experiencing the pain.

Just sayin.

[Baby DEW Year]

Have you recently made an internet video with a jar?:huh:

[KnoxHarrington]

I've always wondered how a doctor decides to be a proctologist. "Hey, I wanna spend my days looking in people's asses." What leads you to that decision?

[RoseBlood]

I've always wondered how a doctor decides to be a proctologist. "Hey, I wanna spend my days looking in people's asses." What leads you to that decision?

Kramer: Have you ever met a proctologist? They usually have a very good sense of humor. You meet a proctologist at a party, don't walk away. Plant yourself there because you will hear the funniest stories you've ever heard. See, no one wants to admit to them that they stuck something up there. Never. It's always an accident. Every proctologist story ends in the same way… 'It was a million to one shot, doc, million to one.'

Seriously though, when my mother was pregnant with me she developed hemorrhoids. My aunt who was/is very into home remedies told her to cut a raw potato into the shape of a suppository, put some vitamin E on it and put it up her butt.. I don't know how or why but it worked with bringing relief.

[~Katja~]

Seriously though, when my mother was pregnant with me she developed hemorrhoids. My aunt who was/is very into home remedies told her to cut a raw potato into the shape of a suppository, put some vitamin E on it and put it up her butt.. I don't know how or why but it worked with bringing relief.

LOL

most creams have vitamin E in it... so a cream may do the same trick as that potato

[RoseBlood]

LOL

most creams have vitamin E in it... so a cream may do the same trick as that potato

Maybe it was the pumice juice but regardless, DON'T TELL MY MOTHER THAT, she's got a sick love affair with the potato now :unsure:

[~Katja~]

Maybe it was the pumice juice but regardless, DON'T TELL MY MOTHER THAT, she's got a sick love affair with the potato now :unsure:

maybe you should see if they make a vibrating one and wrap it for x-mas ;)

[RoseBlood]

maybe you should see if they make a vibrating one and wrap it for x-mas ;)

LoL.. she probably owns one, she likes to talk about a place called Dildo Heaven.

[Sheeplovr]

LoL.. she probably owns one, she likes to talk about a place called Dildo Heaven.

i love the kids movie all dildos go to heaven

[Doogie]

Maybe it was the pumice juice but regardless, DON'T TELL MY MOTHER THAT, she's got a sick love affair with the potato now :unsure:

Note to self, never ever have a baked potato at your house or your mothers...