Associated symptoms

In addition to the pain during bowel movement, various accompanying symptoms can occur. These are particularly important in determining the cause. Itching in the area of the anus points to a hemorrhoidal disease.

Less specific symptoms may also occur, such as a persistent feeling of fullness, cramp-like abdominal pain or mucous secretion or blood mixed with the stool. In any case, a doctor should be consulted and the cause of the pain and accompanying symptoms should be clarified. This also applies if, in addition to the pain, general fatigue that persists over a longer period of time or unexplained weight loss occurs.

If blood is mixed with stool and there is additional pain during bowel movement, in most cases it is an anal fissure. This is a more or less small tear in the mucous membrane of the anus. The pain that exists during defecation is sharp and burning, the blood is usually fresh and bright red.

However, the anal fissure can also be noticeable by itching. The pain can be alleviated by ointments with anaesthetic agents. If no fissure is visible from the outside, a doctor should be consulted.

Blood in the stool can also be caused by serious diseases, especially if it is dark blood. These include chronic inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis or tumors in the colon. Depending on the underlying cause of the pain, there are various ways to do something about it.

Especially in cases of constipation, it helps to keep the bowel movement soft through proper nutrition, so that as little pain as possible occurs during defecation. This also helps to reduce the pain of hemorrhoids or anal fissures. Above all, it is important to drink enough, as the faeces consist largely of water.

In addition, a fibre-rich diet with wholemeal products, pulses, fruit, vegetables and nuts in combination with sufficient exercise is helpful.More information is available here: Constipation – what can be done about it?also, bowel movements should not be suppressed, as this can lead to additional complaints. By using soft toilet paper, the risk of skin irritation and cracks in the anal mucosa is kept low. If these measures do not help to improve constipation and relieve pain, laxatives may be necessary.

If an inflammation is the cause of the pain, ointments, suppositories or enemas with analgesic agents often help. Sitting baths with chamomile or tea tree oil can also provide relief. If haemorrhoids are present, they must be removed in most cases.

This is possible in various ways and does not necessarily require surgery. (see also Hemorrhoid therapy) Anal venous thromboses, tumors and abscesses must, however, be surgically removed in any case to avoid further complications. If pain occurs during bowel movements, the patient often first consults his or her family doctor.

This is also the right way, since he can decide, depending on the accompanying symptoms, whether a visit to a specialist and further diagnostics are necessary. It is particularly important to consult a doctor if blood is mixed with the stool. The specialist for diseases of the rectum is the proctologist. However, depending on the suspicion, it may be necessary to consult internists, gastroenterologists, surgeons, urologists, gynecologists or oncologists for diagnosis and further examinations. In addition to viewing the anal region from the outside, depending on the suspected diagnosis, palpation, rectal or colonoscopy or smears may also be necessary.