Causes of this pathology
The following factors can lead to pain during bowel movements:
- Frequent constipation or diarrhea.
- The presence of cracks in the anal mucosa.
- The presence of inflammation in the anus, for example, with an anal fistula, abscesses, and so on.
- If you have anal eczema.
- When symptoms of hemorrhoids appear, when the veins in the rectal area become inflamed.
- For thrombosis of the anal veins. In this case, there are blood clots in the small veins of the rectum. There may be other causes of pain after bowel movements.
- For irritable bowel syndrome.
- In the presence of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, for example, ulcerative colitis.
- Venereal pathologies that are accompanied by inflammation of the rectum.
- Presence of genital warts.
- Due to stool incontinence.
- Due to insufficient hygiene of the intimate area.
- Passion for spicy dishes.
What diseases can cause pain?
Diagnosis of rectal diseases
To diagnose diseases in proctology, a large arsenal of a variety of methods is used:
- The most accurate and reliable is rectoscopy. It involves the insertion of a special rectoscope device (tube with lighting) into the rectum to a depth of about thirty centimeters. This helps to identify various inflammatory processes in the patient (ulcers, polyps, tumors). The procedure will cause a little discomfort, but is practically painless. The use of a rectoscope also allows for the treatment of diseases of the rectum (electrocoagulation).
- Colonoscopy is an examination of the rectum using a probe. Used for tumor formations. Contraindications: acute pain, infectious diseases, heart and pulmonary failure.
- Biopsy is the removal of tissue or cells from the rectum for further diagnosis under a microscope.
- Endorectal ultrasound (insertion of a special sensor).
- Blood, urine, stool tests.
Thanks to a variety of methods for examining the rectum, it is possible to most accurately diagnose any inflammation and diseases of this organ and select the most correct treatment regimen.
Possible diseases that became a provoking factor
Such a phenomenon as pain after defecation can be observed if a person has certain diseases. So, here is a list of pathologies that may cause pain after defecation:
- In the presence of intestinal adenocarcinoma. This tumor is an oncological disease that affects the rectum. This is the most common form of intestinal cancer. People aged between fifty and seventy years are at risk.
- For atonic constipation. In this case, changes occur in the normal functioning of the intestines, due to which a person experiences delayed bowel movements. This condition is caused by a failure of intestinal motility. Women face this problem more often than men.
- In the presence of infusorial dysentery, which is a gastroenterological disease of a parasitic nature. His clinic is characterized by symptoms of general intoxication. In this case, patients experience ulcerative defects of the colon.
- In Crohn's disease, when a granulomatous inflammatory process occurs. Because of it, different parts of the intestine are affected.
- With vesiculitis. This disease occurs in the seminal vesicles. This pathology does not have acute manifestations, which leads to late patients seeking medical care.
- With inflammation of the uterus. Against the background of this disease, the fallopian tubes and ovaries are often affected.
- The patient has hemorrhoids.
- For gonorrhea in women and men. This disease can be transmitted sexually or transplacentally. Its causative agent is pathogenic gonococcus.
- In acute prostatitis, which is an inflammatory disease that affects the prostate gland. It can occur independently or be a complication after adenoma. This pathology in men is often diagnosed between the ages of twenty and forty-five years.
- Pain in the anus after defecation can also occur with perianal dermatitis, which manifests itself as inflammation of the skin in the area around the anus.
- Against the background of colon polyps.
- In the presence of polyposis, which is a disease characterized by the appearance of multiple benign neoplasms in various organs.
- With rectal fistula, which is the result of paraproctitis.
- With endometriosis, which is a non-tumor pathology, which is accompanied by the growth of the endometrium beyond the proper limits.
If you have one of the above diseases, people may experience pain after defecation.
Treatment
In order to choose the most effective type of treatment, you must first make a correct diagnosis. Prescribing painkillers will not be effective if the cause of the original disease cannot be determined. At the initial stages of hemorrhoids, various ointments and suppositories are used to reduce the severity of the pathological process. If the nodes are pinched, surgery will be necessary.
Surgical treatment of hemorrhoids
For anal fissures, anti-inflammatory suppositories are prescribed to reduce the intensity of pain and promote rapid healing of the wound.
For Crohn's disease, a special diet is prescribed to reduce the load on the intestinal mucosa. In addition, glucocorticoids are required. This disease contributes to the rapid exhaustion of patients, so rehydration therapy may be necessary.
Carrying out treatment
Since pain after defecation is just a symptom of the disease, the main goal of therapy in this case is to establish the true causes of the disease and their elimination.
If the cause of pain during bowel movements is chronic constipation, your doctor will prescribe appropriate treatment. In such situations, you can do without medications, since to get rid of constipation, a banal increase in physical activity along with eating food, which should be rich in fiber, often helps. You also need to drink enough fluids.
Most ailments associated with pain in the anal area can be easily treated using suppositories, ointments or enemas. Such medications contain mild laxatives with effective components that reduce pain, inflammation and irritation. These medications include cortisone medications, along with muscle relaxants and antibiotics. Chamomile extract also perfectly soothes the mucous membrane and relieves pain after bowel movements. Sitz baths with an extract of this plant will serve as an effective addition to treatment.
If a doctor has discovered hemorrhoids, then therapy with suppositories and ointments will, of course, not be enough. In such cases, patients will require additional surgical medical procedures.
The presence of malignant tumors in the anal region and lower intestinal regions, as a rule, requires differentiated oncological therapy in the form of resection. In addition, if necessary, additional chemotherapy or radiation treatment may be required.
Measures to prevent this pathology
Pain after bowel movements can be avoided if you follow some special recommendations, including the following:
- It is necessary to ensure that the stool is regular and has a soft consistency. This requires a balanced diet. The diet should be rich in fiber, and you should also drink two liters of water daily. Fiber is found in large quantities in bread baked from whole grain flour, and it is also found in fruits, vegetables, flaxseeds, and so on. These foods promote soft stool consistency by stimulating intestinal motility and preventing heaviness, constipation and bloating.
- Excessive consumption of raw plant foods, which further aggravate the intestines, should be avoided. Boiled vegetables also contain all the important vitamins and can even be digested much better in the human body.
- Soft toilet paper should be used. The paper must be free of any perfume additives.
- It is very important to maintain hygiene in the relevant intimate area. For example, hypoallergenic wet wipes promote good hygiene.
What are the reasons for bleeding after defecation without pain?
Causes of blood during bowel movements
Many people do not know why this phenomenon occurs. Is this life-threatening? Should we panic? Blood after defecation without pain is an integral part of the onset of the development of serious diseases of the digestive system. Thus, most often it occurs as a result of the development of a specific disease.
The causes of blood after defecation without pain should be identified by a doctor.
So, this can happen in the following cases:
- If you have colon cancer.
- Against the background of the formation of polyps.
- For hemorrhoids, especially in the acute stage.
- If a person has cracks in the anus or rectum.
- Against the background of diverticulosis, that is, with protrusion of the intestinal walls.
- If you have an intestinal ulcer.
- Against the background of nonspecific ulcerative colitis.
- With a tumor neoplasm in any region of the intestine. In this case, the large intestine is most often affected, along with the sigmoid and rectum.
- Against the background of irritable bowel syndrome.
- With phlebectasia or endometriosis of the large intestine.
- Against the background of the development of ischemic colitis.
- For Crohn's disease.
- As a result of intestinal damage by helminthic infestations. It is worth noting that men are not as susceptible to this phenomenon as women. And the main risk group is children.
- For infectious intestinal diseases, for example, dysentery, salmonellosis, and so on.
- Against the background of chronic constipation.
- Women may notice blood on toilet paper while pregnant, which is due to changes in the location of a number of organs and their pressure on the intestines.
- With intestinal tuberculosis, in rare cases, bloody stools may occur.
Main reasons
There are several reasons that cause pain in the rectum:
- Anal fissure is the most common. Patients with this disease report severe pain and a feeling of pain in the anal passage. In this case, light bloody discharge is observed in the stool. Bowel disturbances such as constipation may occur, and in rare cases, diarrhea. At the initial visit, the doctor examines the anus. In most cases, the crack is located in the front or back wall area. If the crack is severe and accompanied by heavy bleeding, surgery may be necessary.
- Special glands are located in the area of the anal ring. When they become inflamed, a disease called paraproctitis develops. The main symptom of this pathology is intense throbbing pain in the rectum. The disease also manifests itself as a general inflammatory response accompanied by localized swelling, redness and fever. A digital examination of the rectal meatus reveals a dense formation. The main treatment strategy is surgery.
- Haemorrhoids. Enlargement of hemorrhoids is a common pathological condition, especially in men. It can develop in many diseases (cirrhosis, connective tissue dysplasia, etc.). In the initial stages, there may be no pain, however, when the hemorrhoid is pinched, severe pain is observed.
Stages of development of hemorrhoids - Proctalgia is a little-studied condition accompanied by episodic pain in the anus. Experts associate the development of this pathology with organic damage to the rectum. It is believed that the pathogenesis of this condition is based on spasm of the anal sphincter.
- Coccydynia develops with traumatic injury to the coccyx. The pain is inconsistent, intensifies and weakens depending on the position of the patient’s body, and also appears during the act of defecation.
- If the anal vein is damaged, a cavity filled with blood can form. This condition is called perianal hematoma. The pain syndrome can vary in intensity. The disease does not require special treatment and goes away on its own within a few days.
- Ulcer in the anus. Subjectively, the patient notes discomfort in the rectum, combined with pain. In addition, the patient complains of impaired bowel movement, as well as stool containing pathological impurities (blood, mucus). Treatment is generally conservative with the selection of a rational diet.
- Inflammation of the prostate gland can manifest itself as pain radiating to the rectum. Pain during urination is especially pronounced. If such symptoms develop, you should consult a urologist.
- The nerve plexuses are very closely connected in the pelvis, therefore, with the development of any pathology in the reproductive or urinary system, pain can be transmitted to the rectum. A similar situation is observed when women develop ovarian cysts. With this disease, pain radiates to the anus. In addition, the cyst is symptomatically manifested by a feeling of discomfort and menstrual irregularities. Treatment is prescribed by a gynecologist.
These recommendations are not a call to action. Only a competent specialist can prescribe effective treatment that promotes a speedy recovery.
What might a bloody bowel movement look like?
Pain and blood after bowel movements can manifest in different ways. The following possible options exist:
- The stool has a dense consistency with small blood clots.
- Stool of a dense consistency comes out with some mucus, on which traces of blood are visible.
- The stool is very hard and resembles sheep feces in appearance - this type is a characteristic sign of constipation.
- Drops of blood are not visible on stool, but remain on toilet paper after defecation.
- Immediately after a bowel movement, the blood appears as a homogeneous mass, and the stool is dark in color.
- With diarrhea, mucus comes out, and the feces themselves resemble a jelly-like consistency.
- The blood comes out in soft stool and resembles thin red threads in shape.
- No blood is visible, and the stool is black in color. This phenomenon is observed in the presence of constipation, when bleeding occurs in the small intestine.
- The stool may also be of normal consistency, but blood is released from the anus, regardless of whether bowel movement has occurred or not.
- Bleeding from the intestines may also be severe, and the stool may be liquid.
All of the above-described variations in stool discharge with blood indicate the development of a serious intestinal disease. Most often we are talking about oncology, hemorrhoids, phlebectasia or helminthic infestations. Another possible cause is gastric ulceration.
What else can be accompanied by abdominal pain after defecation?
What other symptoms indicate the development of pathology?
Against the background of defecation with blood, a person needs to analyze his health over the past days. If he notices certain symptoms, this is a reason to consult a doctor. So, the signs of this or that pathology are the following manifestations:
- Having abdominal pain, constipation or diarrhea.
- The presence of pain during defecation.
- There is a lot of mucus or pus in the stool.
- When going to the toilet, a person feels a burning sensation in the anus area.
- Presence of itching in the anus.
- Passage of parts of worms in feces.
- The presence of belching, heartburn, bloating or tightness of the abdominal muscles.
- In the event that after emptying a person has a feeling of an unfinished process.
Thus, if, when going to the toilet, a person feels pain or notices any changes in the consistency of stool - the presence of impurities in it, and also notices other alarming symptoms, then it is necessary to immediately consult a doctor to determine the causes and carrying out treatment.
But how is diagnosis carried out when there is blood with pain after defecation in the lower abdomen and anus?
Methods for preventing burning
If you follow the simplest recommendations, you can prevent the occurrence of this phenomenon. So, for example, you should periodically rinse the anus after bowel movement, and do this with warm water, and in the last seconds turn on cold water. The fact is that cool water can have a beneficial effect on blood circulation and accelerate the healing of microcracks, if any. During the cold season, it is recommended to wash only with warm water, since there is a risk of hypothermia of the perineum, and this can lead not only to a burning sensation in the anus.
Physical activity is an excellent preventive measure. The more a person moves, the better his blood circulation is (especially good in this case, this affects the hip area), and the body’s defenses increase. However, if the burning sensation in the anal area has already begun to bother you, then it is better to postpone physical exercise, since otherwise it can only cause harm.
Constant movement is the key to a healthy life
Underwear is recommended every day, and it is advisable to iron it before putting it on. This will help destroy the vast majority of bacteria and prevent them from reaching the anus.
It is necessary to carefully monitor your diet and avoid major changes. An improper and unbalanced diet will certainly lead to constipation or diarrhea, which will negatively affect the condition of the skin of the anus. The menu must include vegetables and fruits, as they have a beneficial effect on the intestinal microflora and saturate the body with all the necessary vitamins, acids and minerals.
The information in the article is provided for informational purposes only; only a doctor can make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment. Be sure to consult a specialist.
The rectum is the final section of the digestive tract. Painful sensations in it can be caused by a number of pathological conditions with different etiologies and degrees of severity. The clinical picture in such cases may include a violation of the act of defecation, difficult bowel movements, flatulence and a variety of discharge in the stool. In addition, it is not uncommon for pain in the rectum to be combined with itching in the anal ring. With a long course of the disease, general weakness, intoxication, anemia and tenesmus occur.
If the cause of such a pathological condition is cancer, then when the tumor grows, neighboring organ structures can be damaged. In the future, this leads to urination problems, impotence, and menstrual irregularities. In order to differentiate the disease, it is necessary to perform a number of diagnostic examinations aimed at clarifying the pathology. This includes laboratory tests of blood, urine and feces, x-ray examination with a contrast solution, various endoscopic techniques, as well as palpation examination of the rectum.
Carrying out diagnostics
When there is blood from the rectum, many do not know what to do, although the answer in this case is obvious and very simple - you must immediately go to your doctor. The doctor must examine the patient and send him for tests. As a rule, the patient is sent for the following examination procedures:
- Carrying out a coprogram.
- Taking a stool test for occult blood.
- Taking a general blood test.
- Performing a stool test for helminthic infestations.
- Performing endoscopy or colonoscopy of the rectum according to indications.
But what should you do if your stomach hurts after defecation? Which doctor should I contact?