Anal pain can have many causes. Anal pain can be short-term or continuous. Anal pain can range from very mild to very severe. Anal pain is sometimes only in the anus area, but in some cases it can spread to the entire buttocks and the floor to the groin or legs. If you have anal pain that does not go away in 24 or 48 hours, you should consult your doctor as soon as possible. If anal pain is accompanied by fever, it is a sign of an emergency.
The most common causes of anal pain are:
- Thrombosed hemorrhoids (Internal or external hemorrhoidal sacs thrombosed in the anus or rectum, severe pain occurs. It is a condition that requires surgical intervention.)
- Anal hematoma (It is a condition that occurs with excessive straining. It is more common in those with frequent constipation. Bleeding under the skin in the anus and the tension caused by coagulation in this bleeding area causes pain.)
- Anal fissure (anal fissure) (It can be expressed as small tears that occur after excessive constipation in the sphincter area where the anus and rectum meet. Surgical treatment may be required for chronic anal fissures that do not respond to medical treatment.)
- Anal fistula (It is the formation of an abnormal channel that opens out from the anal canal to the skin. Sometimes it can cause severe pain because it is filled with inflammation or abscess.)
- Anal abscess (It is the formation of an abnormal sac filled with inflammatory tissue in the region between the anus and the rectum. It requires surgical treatment.)
- Anal condyloma (wart) (There may be warts on the anus that cause pain from time to time.)
- Anal region cancers (Cancers that metastasize to the anus of nearby regions such as the anal region or rectum can cause pain by narrowing the anal canal and occupying space.)
- Anal ragad (Superficial cracks in the anus. Responds to medical treatment.)
- Anismus (The cause of severe pain caused by unexplained contractions of the anus muscles is unknown. It responds to treatments that prevent muscle contraction.)
- Rectal prolapse (It occurs as a result of forced anal intercourse or foreign body insertion into the anus. The pain may last for 1 week to 10 days. Analgesics are useful. In advanced rectal prolapse cases, surgical treatment may be required.)
- Inflammation of hair follicles (Inflammation of hair follicles in the anal area for any reason may cause stretching of the mucosa in that area. Severe pain may occur in case of abscess. It is a condition that may require medical or surgical treatment.)
- Injuries (Any foreign body inserted into the anus or injuries caused by external trauma can cause anal pain.)
- Post-surgery (After anal region surgeries such as ingrown hairs or hemorrhoids, pain may occur in the anal region. It is expected to heal with medical treatment.)
Anal pain resolves with treatment of the condition causing the pain. For this, a correct diagnosis and treatment planning are required. Warm water sitz bath and analgesics can be used until the treatment is completed.
If anal pain does not go away within a week or two, if constipation occurs, if there is a palpable swelling or mass, if fever occurs, if the pain does not go away with painkillers, if blood is seen in the stool or if there are other accompanying symptoms, consult your doctor.