Pain in the anus

We have all heard or used the phrase "anal pain" at some point in our lives. Someone who has not experienced this pain may laugh at this phrase, but in reality, rectal pain is a very real health problem, especially for men. Although it is not only a male problem. It can also be a problem for women living with this pain, as well as for those who suffer from hemorrhoids or anal fissures or reproductive system diseases. What are the causes of rectal pain and what should you do if you are bothered by anal pain?

Causes anus pain

Rectal pain can be caused by simple health problems that are easy to fix, but it can also be caused by a very serious, and sometimes fatal, disease (such as rectal cancer).

There are many causes of pain in the anus. Some of them are unpleasant, but not very serious. Others are a sign of digestive problems that need to be eliminated for a long time. The doctor’s task (and ours) is to find out what is causing the pain in the anus. Let’s find out information about some of the many causes of pain in the rectum and anal pain.

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Anal fissure

An anal fissure is a crack in the skin, tissue, or lining of the anus. An anal fissure in or around the anus or in the rectum can cause severe pain in the anus.

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Symptoms of anal fissures

• pain in the anus;
• bleeding;
• blood in the stool, in the toilet bowl, or on toilet paper.

Causes of anal fissures

• hard stool due to constipation;
• too much stool;
• straining during defecation;
• injuries and damage during anal sex.

Treatment of anal fissure

• stool softeners and laxatives;
• you need to drink a lot of water;
• You need to take sitz baths in warm water to reduce pain and speed up the healing of anal fissures;
• oral medications and injections, as well as enemas.

In severe cases, surgery may be necessary, in which doctors stitch up the crack.

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Rectal abscess

A rectal abscess is an abscess in the anal area, rectum, or collection of pus that results from an infection in the tissue. Localized infections often develop in and around the rectum.

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Symptoms of a rectal abscess

• pain and swelling in the anus or buttocks;
• fever and night sweats;
• a painful lump of stool in the anus or rectum;
• painful bowel movements;
• abdominal pain;
• pain in the anus.

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Causes of Rectal Abscess

Abscesses are caused by glandular diseases in the tissue around the anus and rectum. They can be triggered by pimples or clogged pores, causing the glands in the anus and rectum to often become clogged, leading to inflammation and a buildup of pus in the tissues of the anus. When these tissues rupture, the pus from the abscess leaks into the tissues surrounding the rectum and anus. People with weak immune systems, including HIV-positive people, are at greater risk for this type of infection.

Anal fissures can allow bacteria to fill the rectal areas, often resulting in a rectal abscess.

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Treatment of rectal abscess

Antibiotics are most often used to treat the infection that caused the abscess. The specific antibiotics used depend on the type of infection that caused the abscess. Antibiotics are also always used to treat underlying infections in the body.

A long needle can be used to remove infectious fluid from an abscess - to suck out the fluid. This method can be used for superficial abscesses, the result can be achieved by using shorter and thinner needles and syringes.

For those who cannot penetrate the abscess area with a needle, surgical drainage may be used. Then the affected area of skin is surgically opened and the infectious fluid is drained. In this way, people cope with abscess and pain in the anus.

Haemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids are blood-filled, thickened veins inside or around the rectum, called hemorrhoidal cushions or hemorrhoidal cones.

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Symptoms of hemorrhoids

• pain in the anus and itching;
• blood on the surface of the stool or on paper after wiping the anal surface;
• inability to have normal soft bowel movements;
• pieces of tissue (veins) protruding from the anus.

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Causes of hemorrhoids

• straining during defecation;
• severe coughing, sneezing, or vomiting;
• pregnancy;
• cirrhosis;
• anal sex;
• anal fissures or infections.

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Treatment of hemorrhoids - non-invasive methods

• use of sitz baths, including the anus area - several times a day;
• ice packs for 15 minutes several times a day to reduce swelling;
• Prescription and over-the-counter medicated creams can be used to reduce the size of hemorrhoids or to relieve pain and itching in the anal area. Keep the anal area clean by using wet wipes to relieve irritation and itching;
• If you have pain in the anus, you should wear loose clothing and underwear to reduce irritation of the anal area.

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Treatment of hemorrhoids - invasive therapy

Ligation - hemorrhoids are tied with a rubber band or suture. After about a week, hemorrhoidal cones dry up and fall off.

Sclerotherapy - chemicals are injected into the tissue surrounding the hemorrhoids, which significantly reduces the blood supply to the hemorrhoidal veins, causing the hemorrhoids to shrink

Hemorrhoidectomy - surgical removal of hemorrhoids

There are too many causes of pain in the anus to list them all. But there are also specific reasons why a person may suffer from pain in the anus.

Colitis (ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease)

Colitis is an inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Ulcerative colitis is limited to the colon. In Crohn's disease, the inflammation can affect the entire digestive system. Both of these diseases cause inflammation that causes rectal pain.

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Symptoms of Colitis

• pain in the anus;
• intestinal disorder;
• nausea;
• bloody diarrhea;
• fatigue;
• weight loss;
• mucus and pus in the stool.

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Causes of Ulcerative Colitis

The causes of ulcerative colitis are not always known to doctors. Most doctors believe that ulcerative colitis is not a typical autoimmune response of the body - a reaction of the colon, possibly associated with fatty or too spicy food or gastrointestinal bacteria E. coli.

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Causes of Crohn's Disease

A blockage in the intestinal lining causes swelling, inflammation, ulceration, and abscesses that are characteristic of Crohn's disease. Like ulcerative colitis, the causes of Crohn's disease are not always known, but are thought to be an autoimmune reaction of the body.

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Treatment of Crohn's disease

Treatment for ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease is aimed at minimizing the inflammation that causes the symptoms common to both conditions. Treatment may include steroids, which slow down the inflammation process. Medications may be taken orally or in some cases as an enema - to apply the medication directly to the gastrointestinal tract. In extreme cases where the intestinal tract is damaged, surgery may be used to relieve symptoms and repair severe damage to the intestines.

Injuries Associated with Anal Sex

When a man and a woman engage in anal sex and these manipulations are incorrect or unskilled, there is a risk of serious physical injury. The most common injuries are related to anal sex. Although most of these injuries are minor, and a little medical intervention can correct the situation.

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Types of anal trauma

• anal fissure or tear;
• rectal perforation (more common if foreign objects are used during anal sex);
• cracks around the rectum and anus;
• sphincter injuries (this may be due to foreign objects or aggressive anal sex);
• rectal prolapse (part of the rectum protrudes from the anus).

Symptoms of anal trauma

• rectal pain during and after sex;
• bleeding during and after sex;
• pain when moving the hips.

Treatment of anal trauma

• It is necessary to refrain from anal sexual activity until complete healing;
• Use emollients to reduce the potential for hard stools;
• Do not strain or do heavy work during treatment;
• In extreme cases, surgery may be required.

Pointed warts (condylomas)

Lesions or growths in or around the anus can cause anal pain. The two most common types of anal lesions are genital warts and herpes ani.

Genital warts (condyloma acuminata) are smooth, flesh-colored, round growths caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Genital warts are sexually transmitted and are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV can also lead to anal cancer.

Genital (anal) herpes is one of many types of herpes. It is caused by the herpes simplex virus. These are painful, fluid-filled blisters around the anus. These lesions form ulcers of the rectum and anus.

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Symptoms of genital warts

• flesh-colored growths that resemble cauliflower;
• The warts themselves are painless, but often affect bodily functions, such as bowel movements during defecation, making the process painful.

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Genital herpes

• painful, fluid-filled growths that burst and cause pain;
• flu-like symptoms;
• high temperature;
• swollen tonsils;
• pain in the anus.

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Herpes treatment

Treatment may include creams or surgical removal of warts. The virus that causes genital warts cannot be removed, even if the warts are removed or treated.

Topical medications such as Zovirax cream and oral medications such as acyclovir and Valtrex can shorten herpes outbreaks and reduce their frequency.

Pathogenesis

The term "rectum" is sometimes used interchangeably with the term "anus." When people think of rectal pain, they usually mean pain in the anus as well as the rectum. But in reality, the rectum and the anus are two different things.

The rectum is a hollow tube-like organ that connects the large intestine to the anus. The anus is a ring of dense tissue through which stool passes. When stool or gas enters the rectum, nerve endings in the rectum send an instant message to the brain that it is full and needs to be evacuated.

When it's time to have a bowel movement (you're on the toilet at the time), the rectum contracts to push the stool out through the anus and out of the body. If it's not the right time to have a bowel movement (for example, you're driving home from work), the rectum holds the stool until you get to the toilet.

The anus is a ring of dense elastic tissue that is located at the very end of the gastrointestinal tract. Waste products from our body are pushed out of the rectum through the anal canal and excreted from the body through the anus.

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Diagnostics anus pain

It is important to remember that anal pain signals a serious health problem. The problem may be easily corrected, such as with hemorrhoids, or it may be something very serious and potentially fatal, such as anal cancer.

If you have symptoms of anal or rectal pain, which are collectively called pain in the anus, regardless of their severity, you should make an appointment with a proctologist and get an accurate diagnosis. This diagnosis can save your life.

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