Anal pain

Anal pain is a fairly common complaint that may feel burning, sharp, or throbbing in the anal area or pelvic floor region. The pain can occur suddenly as an attack or continue for a longer time. Common causes include an anal fissure, which typically causes severe pain during bowel movements and may cause a small amount of bleeding. Another fairly harmless but painful cause is proctalgia fugax, a sudden and rapidly passing pain episode in the anal area.

Anal pain can also be related to hemorrhoids, inflammation, or sometimes even muscle tension. The most common risk factors in Finland are prolonged sitting, chronic constipation, or straining hard during bowel movements. Most often the symptom is harmless and gets better on its own, but if the pain is severe, prolonged, accompanied by heavy bleeding, fever, or other concerning symptoms, it is advisable to seek assessment from a professional. Continuous or recurrent pain in particular should always be examined so that rarer but more serious causes can be ruled out.