Definition
Pain in the rectum can occur when there is irritation due to injury, inflammation or indigestion. Of the multitude of possible causes, harmless ones are the most common. If the pain persists for a longer period of time and especially if accompanying symptoms such as blood in the stool occur, a doctor should definitely be consulted. In most cases, the pain can be relieved by temporary treatment.
Causes
The possible causes of pain in the rectum are manifold and can often only be determined by a doctor. Often it is a symptom that occurs in constipation. Excessively hard stool causes a painful feeling of pressure, which occurs particularly during bowel movement.
Diseases of the rectum itself are also possible, such as inflammation or injuries such as an anal fissure. These are tears in the rectal mucosa. Another frequent cause of pain in or at the rectum are so-called hemorrhoids.
These are networks of blood vessels that normally lie in the rectum, but can also protrude from it. This then often leads to pain and possibly also to slight bleeding. Even if harmless causes are much more common, a prompt medical examination should be performed to rule out cancer. If cancer is diagnosed, the earlier a therapy is started, the better the chances of recovery.
Symptoms
If pain is present in the rectum, there are often accompanying symptoms that can give an indication of the cause of the pain. If there is also fever or chills, these can be indications of an inflammatory disease of the rectum. If the bowel movement is difficult, a digestive disorder with constipation may be present.
Particular care should be taken if bloody bowel movements occur as an accompanying symptom of pain in the rectum. Often a harmless disease, such as hemorrhoids, is the cause. In addition, there is often an agonizing itching.
However, it can also be the sign of a colon cancer. In case of bloody stools, a doctor should be consulted and a colonoscopy performed as soon as possible. This also applies if only small amounts of blood are present in the stool. and burning in the intestine
