anorectal pain

Last reviewed 01/2018

Causes of anorectal pain include ischemia, fissures, thrombosed haemorrhoids, inflammatory bowel disease, and intramuscular abscess.

Two forms of functional anorectal pain have been described: levator ani syndrome and proctalgia fugax. These two types of pain frequently coexist, but they can be distinguished on the basis of duration, frequency and characteristic quality of pain. It is necessary to exclude other causes of anorectal pain before considering a diagnosis of functional anorectal pain.

Reference:

  1. Whitehead WE et al.Functional disorders of the anus and rectum. Gut. 1999 Sep;45 Suppl 2:II55-9.