Medical Author: Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD
Medically Reviewed on 9/15/2021
Doctor's Notes on Proctitis
Proctitis is an inflammation of the anus and/or the lining of the rectum (the last 6 inches of the rectum). Signs and symptoms include
- pain during bowel movements,
- soreness in the anal and/or rectal area,
- involuntary spasms and cramping during bowel movements,
- bleeding from the anal/rectal tissue,
- discharge (pus),
- small blisters around the anus,
- anal warts, and
- feeling that you can't completely empty your bowels.
Sexually transmitted diseases are the most common cause of proctitis. Other causes include
- infections,
- chemicals,
- foreign objects placed in the rectum,
- trauma in the rectal area,
- radiation,
- autoimmune diseases of the colon such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and
- possibly antibiotics.
What Is the Treatment for Proctitis?
Treatments for proctitis depends on treating the underlying causes of this disease. The main causes with treatments are as follows:
- Infections: antibiotics like doxycycline or antivirals like acyclovir
- Radiation therapy: anti-inflammatory medications, antibiotics, stool softeners, dilation and removal of damaged tissue; bleeding control
- Inflammatory bowel disease: medications to control rectal inflammation like prednisone or azathioprine; surgical removal of the damaged section of the GI tract
STD : Symptoms, Testing & List Quiz
QuestionCondoms are the best protection from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
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Rectal Pain
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REFERENCE:
Kasper, D.L., et al., eds. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 19th Ed. United States: McGraw-Hill Education, 2015.