Anal Pain
Anal Pain: a symptom of many conditions
Pain in the anus, although it causes concern and many times one is embarrassed to talk about it, is not something rare. Usually, a visit to the specialist is enough to address the fear and solve the underlying problem with conservative means, or – when necessary – to plan its surgical treatment.
The temporary, brief presence of pain in the anus is usually not due to something that needs medical attention, but pain that persists and/or is accompanied by other symptoms such as blood loss, may be due to a condition that requires treatment. Although pain in the anus is rarely a sign of a serious health problem, it can cause difficulties in our daily life, such as sitting in a chair or going to the toilet.
But what are those cases where we should seek help? Where should we turn?
As a rule, when pain in the anus persists for more than two days, it is advisable to visit our doctor. Rectal bleeding of any amount should also be investigated immediately.
Haemorrhoidal disease
An extremely common condition that manifests itself with pain and often blood loss is hemorrhoids. This happens when blood vessels in the rectum and anus become congested with blood, creating painful swellings called hemorrhoids. There are many ways to approach this problem, and the choice depends mainly on the characteristics of each patient and their condition. It is of great importance to seek medical help in time because it is one of the diseases whose progressive deterioration makes its final treatment less painless.
Periodic abscesses & fistulas
Cervical abscesses and fistulas are also common causes of anal pain. They are caused when an area in or around the anus becomes infected. This leads to the formation and collection of pus, i.e. the formation of an abscess. This abscess often finds a way out to the skin and expands into the environment. This is called a fistula. Abscesses and fistulas appear with anal pain, itching, bleeding, and even fever. Usually, the doctor will solve the problem by draining the abscess and giving antibiotic treatment. Longer-term cases, as well as neglected abscesses, require more complex surgical solutions and detailed mapping of the fistulas with sophisticated imaging methods.
Anal fissure
One of the most common causes of pain in the anus is fissures. Anal fissures are small elongated wounds, small tears that occur after hard or diarrheal bowel movements, but also after a prolonged period of stress. The pain they cause is usually sharp during bowel movement and lasts for several hours afterward. Also, very often, the pain is accompanied by small blood loss. Because the mechanism is related to bowel movements, it is not unusual for stretch marks to persist and bother us for many days, weeks, or even months. And in this case, visiting the specialist will solve the problem.
A common feature of the above conditions, in addition to being common, is that they are benign conditions that rarely cause serious problems when recognized and treated early. Less often, however, pain in the anus is the result of more serious diseases. In some cases, it may be their first event. Such diseases are inflammatory bowel diseases, i.e. ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, rectal cancer, rectal ulcers, proctitis, etc.
It is easy to see that, although as a rule, mild and short pain is probably not a cause for concern. Conversely, anal pain that persists, is very severe or is complicated by bleeding, foul-smelling discharge, fever, or malaise, should lead us to a meeting with a specialist, so that the diagnosis can be made and the final treatment of the underlying problem can begin. In these cases, we should not allow the feeling of shame to stand in the way of solving a health problem, as, usually, seeking help early means easier and more painless treatment.
