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The diagnosis of proctitis is based on the suspected cause.

• Your health care provider will take a thorough medical history to determine your sexual practices and if you have any high-risk behaviors.
• Most cases of suspected proctitis require a procedure called a proctosigmoidoscopy. A lighted tube with a camera is passed through the anus and used to look at the surface of your rectum. The image is projected on a TV screen and is magnified to identify changes.
• In addition, your doctor also may take a biopsy (small piece of tissue) of your rectum for testing for disease or infection.
• Any discharge present will undergo lab testing to identify sexually transmitted organisms.
• Doctors also frequently test your blood for the presence of antibodies to support the diagnosis.

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