Proctitis Causes

Proctitis has many causes, but sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are the most common. Gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, anal warts, and chlamydia are the most common cause of sexually transmitted proctitis. Proctitis is increasingly more common in homosexual men and in people engaging in oral-anal or anal intercourse with many partners.

Other causes include the following:

• Nonsexually transmitted infections
  
  
• Autoimmune diseases of the colon such as Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis
  
  
• Harmful physical agents  
  
  
  • Chemicals
    
    
  • Foreign objects placed in the rectum
    
    
  • Trauma to your anorectal area
    
    
  • Radiation (a side effect from treatment for another illness)
    
    
  • Antibiotics (a side effect from treatment for another illness)