Pain during bowel movements (defecation pain)

Settle complaints in the chair

Pains in bowel movements can be a manifestation of various illnesses or injuries. Information on the development and course of the symptoms as well as other symptoms are necessary in order to narrow down the possible causes and finally to secure the diagnosis with specific examinations. The following are the possible causes of painful bowel movements and the respective treatment approaches.

contents

• Settle complaints in the chair
• Defecation pain - a brief overview
• Complaints during defecation
• Constipation as a cause
• Change habits
• Proven home remedies for constipation
• Acute and chronic intestinal inflammation
• Anal abscesses, fistulas and eczema
• hemorrhoids
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• A tumor as a cause of stool leaving pain
• Other possible causes
• When should a doctor be contacted?
• treatment options
• Naturopathic approaches
• Preventive measures
• additional Information

Defecation pain - a brief overview

Pain that occurs during bowel movements is medically referred to as "proctalgia". This refers to disorders of the anal or anal region, often based on irritation or injury to the sensitive anal mucosa. Here is a brief overview of the symptoms:

• Synonyms: Anal discomfort, anal discomfort, proctalgia, defecation pain
• symptoms: Spasmodic abdominal pain, itching, the stool has unusual consistency or color, stinging and burning pain before, during and / or after defecation, bloated abdomen, fatigue, fatigue, unwanted weight loss.
• Possible causes: Sharp eating, constipation, diarrhea, injuries or tears in the anal mucosa, inflammation, eczema, hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome, colon cancer, inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn's disease.
• diagnosis: Specialist in this field is the proctologist. Possible diagnostic methods are, for example, rectoscopy, colonoscopy, smears, examination of removed tissue samples and blood test.
• treatment: The treatment depends heavily on the underlying condition. For many ailments, ointments, suppositories and enemas are used which contain analgesic and anti-inflammatory agents.
• Natural treatment: Warm sitz baths with chamomile or tea tree oil extracts, and stress-related defecation problems provide many ways to reduce stress.

Pain associated with bowel movements may be of many origins and must be further determined by other symptoms and examinations. (Image: kei907 / fotolia.com)

Complaints during defecation

The development process of bowel movements usually begins slowly. At first, sufferers experience occasional pain when going to the bathroom, or they are plagued by frequent after-effects. Characteristic are burning and stinging pain during bowel movements. The occasional pain can eventually increase over time and occur more often until they eventually become so strong that the defecation takes place only with severe discomfort. Many sufferers therefore delay toilet use, which in turn can aggravate the symptoms or trigger new symptoms.

Constipation as a cause

Normally, human feces have a soft to medium-hard consistency. Constipation (constipation) can cause irritation and skin tears in the anal region due to the hardened stool. Affected persons can only settle the chair with strong pressing, which promotes the formation of small cracks in the intestinal mucosa (anal fissures). Such anal fissures may also be caused by the action of foreign bodies (e.g., anal intercourse). The fissures can also be felt by blood in the stool or blood on the anus.

Change habits

Who wants to permanently get rid of constipation, must change in most cases, his life habits. This includes sufficient exercise, wholefoods with a high percentage of fiber, and adequate drinking. Dietary fiber is found in cereals and cereal products such as wholemeal bread, whole wheat pasta and wholegrain rice, but also in plant foods such as fruits, vegetables and legumes.

Regular blockages often require a change in lifestyle habits, so that a lasting improvement can be achieved. (Image: sebra / fotolia.com)

Proven home remedies for constipation

Effective home remedies for constipation include flaxseed, wheat bran and psyllium. These can boost digestion and soften the stool. It is important that they are taken with sufficient fluid, otherwise there is an increase in the symptoms or even a bowel obstruction. Stress reduction techniques such as autogenic training or yoga can also have a positive effect on digestion. To dissipate a tablespoon of radish or dandelion juice from the health food store is mixed in a glass of water. This can be drunk morning, noon and evening after meals.

Acute and chronic intestinal inflammation

Pain in bowel movements also manifests itself in chronic inflammatory bowel disease (CED, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis) in acute episode many times as consistently painful stool urgency (tenesmus). In addition, the typical clinical picture with diarrhea and mucus and / or Blutbeimengungen shows. Similar symptoms also occur in proctitis (rectal inflammation).

Anal abscesses, fistulas and eczema

A purulent abscess in the anal area can form a painful inflammatory focus, which can cause severe pain when going to the toilet. As a result of such an abscess, anal fistulas may also form. These are inflammatory changes, tubular ducts in the rectum area. Eczema in the intestines can also cause pain during bowel movements. Anal eczema is a severe inflammation of the anus, which is often expressed by an itchy rash.

hemorrhoids

Not infrequently, hemorrhoids are the cause of anus pain. These are arteriovenous vessel cushions that form in the anal canal. Hemorrhoids are normal components of the digestive system, but can become morbid when it comes to a congestion. When these hemorrhoid pads swell, timely therapy is important. The swelling leads to the typical symptoms such as anus pain, afterjucken, bleeding, burning anal and an unpleasant pressure pain.

For example, pain in bowel movements may be due to anal fissures or hemorrhoids. (Image: Miriam Dörr / fotolia.com)

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome is characterized by chronic intestinal complaints such as abdominal pain and flatulence. In many cases, stool changes also occur. In contrast to the other causes, the irritable bowel syndrome can not be assigned an exact cause. Abdominal pain that wears off after bowel movements, as well as alternating episodes of diarrhea and constipation may indicate such a syndrome.

A tumor as a cause of stool leaving pain

In rare cases, cancers are responsible for the after-pains. In anal cancer, painful bowel movements often show itching in the anal area (pruritus ani). In addition, blood deposits, incontinence and altered bowel habits are described. In rectal cancer (rectal cancer) in addition to pain and blood deposition fall to a worsening general condition, weight loss and any lower back pain (low back pain) on.

Other possible causes

Furthermore, some sexual diseases such as syphilis or genital warts can cause pain when the droppings are discontinued. Even with diarrhea, the mucous membranes of the intestine can react irritated. Anyone who has eaten too hot may also experience an afterburn during digestion.

When should a doctor be contacted?

Pain in the anal area is perceived by many sufferers as embarrassing and often kept secret. Occasionally constipations or diarrhea are also no cause for concern when these symptoms disappear after a short time. If these symptoms persist for a long time or blood is observed in the stool, it is strongly recommended to have a specialist examination. This can begin at the family doctor, who transfers the patient to a proctologist or internist if necessary.

Many complaints that occur in connection with the daily bowel movements, can be treated well. A visit to the doctor should not be postponed unnecessarily. (Image: hakase420 / fotolia.com)

treatment options

For many anal complaints, ointments, suppositories or enemas that contain analgesic and anti-inflammatory agents such as cortisone, lidocaine and witch hazel are used. Furthermore, after consultation with the doctor, drugs such as laxatives or so-called prokinetics are used. In some cases, a small surgical procedure is possible, for example, to remove hemorrhoids or inflammatory foci, as these could lead to sepsis in the worst case. If cancer is the cause, a comprehensive treatment is required, which may include surgery, chemo- or radiation therapies.

Naturopathic approaches

After exclusion of a malignant disease, constipation, anal fissures and hemorrhoids can be well alleviated or even cured with natural healing techniques. The naturopathic approaches can also be used to complement the more severe diseases. For example, warm sitz baths with extracts of chamomile or tea tree oil have proven to be good for afterjumping. Since some stool issues can also be caused by too much stress, in such cases often help with stress reduction methods. These include, for example:

• Autogenic training,
• Progressive muscle relaxation,
• yoga,
• meditation,
• Hypnotherapy,
• Tai chi,
• Qigong,
• an anti-stress treatment with Schüßler salts.

These preventive measures help to prevent pain when going to the toilet. (Image: heilpraxis.de/prockopenko/fotolia.com)

Preventive measures

To prevent pain during bowel movements, a high-fiber diet with plenty of fruit, vegetables, cereals and legumes is suitable. In addition, you should drink enough liquid (general recommendation: two to three liters of water). In addition, pay attention to regular exercise. In addition, the bowel movement should not be suppressed, but at the appropriate urge to go to a toilet soon. A soft toilet paper can help to not unnecessarily irritate the sensitive skin on the anus. Good intimate hygiene reduces the germ density, which can lead to inflammation. (jvs, vb; updated June 20, 2018)

additional Information

• Black bowel movements - causes and treatment
• Bright bowel movement
• Grease stool: causes and therapy
• Hard Stool - Causes, Symptoms and Quick Help
• Pencil chair causes and treatment
• Watery stool: watery diarrhea - causes and therapy
• Constipation - Causes, Symptoms and Therapy