What is rectal pain?
Rectal pain is pain or discomfort in the lower portion of the gastrointestinal tract often caused by conditions such as hemorrhoids or anal fissures.
What causes rectal pain?
A variety of diseases and conditions can cause rectal pain. Most of these aren’t serious and can sometimes be treated with quite simple changes in diet or topical medications.
How is rectal pain treated?
Treatment depends on the cause of the rectal pain. Although most rectal pain is not caused by life-threatening conditions such as cancer, anyone with recurrent or persistent rectal pain should be evaluated by a physician.