Pain in the anus after a hard bowel movement

Insufficient fluid intake combined with a lack of exercise often leads to hard stool. Going to the toilet can be very uncomfortable or cause pain, especially if the stool is hard. The cause of the pain is due to the relatively narrow bowel outlet.

A normal, soft stool consistency prevents the rectum from stretching too much and therefore causes no pain. If the bowel movement is firm, the tension or dilatation of the rectum, as well as the irritation of the inner side of the mucous membrane of the anus cause painful excretion of stool. Frequently, stool with a hardened consistency requires strong pressing, which can promote the formation of hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids can be associated with pain, which occurs mainly when going to the toilet.

Pain inside the anus

Sometimes the urge to defecate causes strong, cramp-like pain in the area of the anus and anus. These complaints are called tenesmus in medical terminology. The cause of the pain associated with the urge to defecate lies in the spasmodic contraction of the muscles of the rectum.

Tenesmus occurs, for example, in the context of inflammatory bowel diseases, but can also be due to other causes. The pain associated with the urge to defecate is often intermittent. Those affected therefore have phases of several days or weeks in which no tenesmus occurs.

In order to be able to initiate a suitable therapy measure, it is important to have a medical clarification carried out in which the cause can be identified. Hemorrhoids, which also lie on the inside of the rectum, can also cause pain on the inside of the rectum and anus. In this case a proctologist or internist should also be consulted to examine the rectum (proctoscopy). The presentation to the specialist should take place especially if the complaints occur frequently and increase in intensity.

Nocturnal pain in the anus

Nightly pain in the anus region can lead to sleep problems and, as a result, cause a high level of suffering for those affected. One of the main causes of sudden, shooting night-time pain is the so-called proctalgia fugax, about the development of which very little is known to date. It is assumed that it is due to spasms of the sphincter muscle.

Exact causes, diagnoses and treatment have not yet been clearly clarified. The symptoms can occur during the day or at night. The pain of Proctalgia fugax can be wavelike, cramp-like or continuous.Usually the entire anal region is affected, sometimes accompanying symptoms such as nausea or vomiting are added, thus increasingly worsening the general condition of the person concerned.

Usually the complaints disappear after a few minutes. However, a seizure can also last 30 minutes. There are some treatment strategies for Proctalgia fugax, but their effects are controversial.

If symptoms occur repeatedly, treatment with clonidine, nifedipine or salbutamol can be attempted. Nocturnal anal pain can basically be caused by all causes that also trigger the daily anal pain. An exact search for the cause is necessary in any case. It is advisable to have an endoscopy of the rectum if the pain recurs again and again.