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Pain in the anus
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
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Pain in the anus can be caused by various factors. Usually people are embarrassed by such symptoms and consult a doctor when the disorders are severely exacerbated. This is fundamentally wrong, since pain can signal serious problems, early diagnosis and treatment will help to avoid their aggravation. The main causes of pain are physical disorders, oncological diseases and inflammatory diseases.
The rectum is the part of the digestive tract that completes the process of digestion of food; its structure is adapted for the act of defecation.
[ Physical impairments
In this category, the main cause of anal pain is anal fissures – cuts or tears in the mucous membrane of the rectum. They can occur in the case of digestive disorders, due to abnormal feces or the presence of foreign, undigested objects in them. The pain in such cases is very acute and is felt during the act of defecation, which is why patients often deliberately delay it, causing constipation. If pain is observed after defecation, this indicates that the disorder has become chronic. In addition to pain, those suffering from anal fissures experience sphincter spasms and minor bloody discharge from the anus.
Also, pain in the anus can occur when sitting on a hard chair for a long time and after bruises and falls. In such cases, when changing the place of sitting and after a while, the pain will subside on its own.
Another cause of pain is rectal prolapse. This disorder is usually observed in older women who have given birth many times. Although it can also be present in people of other categories.
A rare cause is proctologic fugues. These are spasms of the anus that occur mainly during sleep. They are usually observed in adolescence.
Pain in the anus due to cancer
Anal cancer, even in its early stages, has vivid symptomatic manifestations: firstly, it is an admixture of scarlet blood in the stool, and secondly, it is a dull pain during defecation, which intensifies over time and continues constantly. The pain is explained by the innervation of the anal area.
Often, pain in the anus radiates to the lower abdomen, thighs, and genitals. The intensity of pain does not yet indicate that the tumor is inoperable, so prompt diagnosis is necessary.
Pain due to inflammation
In most cases, pain in the anus occurs due to inflammation of the hemorrhoidal nodes. It is very acute, it is difficult for the patient to defecate, sit and walk. It is accompanied by fever and chills. It occurs for various reasons: alcohol consumption, excessive physical activity, consumption of spicy food, etc.
The next reason is subcutaneous paraproctitis. The abscess is located in the subcutaneous tissue of the anus. The disease is characterized by an increase in temperature, chills and increasing pain in the anus, which intensifies during defecation.
Another disease is a submucous rectal abscess. In this case, the abscess is located under the mucous membrane at the edge of the anus. Patients complain of dull pain that intensifies during defecation. In most cases, it is detected by palpation.
Another reason why pain in the anus may occur is sexually transmitted diseases.
Who to contact?
Treatment and diagnostics
If anal pain persists for several days, you should see a doctor immediately. If you have other symptoms described above, you should see a doctor immediately, it will make things easier and may even save your life.