Painful Bowel Movements: Know its Causes & Treatment
Painful bowel movements are extremely common. Another term is dyschezia. Most people will experience a painful stool once. If this is a one-time or isolated event, you probably don't need to be too concerned. However, if you would describe most of your stools as painful, there could be an underlying cause.
Painful bowel movements can cause a lot of discomforts. There are many potential causes. Some are easily treatable, but others like anal cancer can be more serious. It is normal to occasionally feel slight pain when having a bowel movement. However, when this happens regularly, it can show an underlying medical condition.
Causes of Painful Bowel Movements
There are a variety of potential causes of painful stools. It is important to always see your doctor if you experience pain or discomfort. Here are some of the most common causes of pain during bowel movements.
constipation and diarrhea
Occasionally we eat something that doesn't agree with us, have unusual levels of stress, inadequate hydration, an interruption in our normal routine, or any other event that can cause an attack of constipation or diarrhea. Painful stools can accompany both diarrhea and constipation, but if you experience constipation or constant diarrhea, it is always important to see your doctor determine the cause.
Food intolerances
Food intolerance, also known as food allergies, is a common culprit for painful stools. Two of the most common food sensitivities are lactose and gluten. Keep a food diary to track the foods you eat and whether you experience pain when moving your bowels to determine any correlation.
Consult your doctor
to investigate food sensitivities or potential allergies.
Hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids occur when there are swollen veins around the anus. Prolonged periods of sitting can cause this, straining to have a bowel movement, pregnancy, or weight gain.
Fissure
A fissure is when you get a tear in the anus's skin; during a bowel movement, and it can be very painful. Cracks are most often caused by passing a hard stool, local trauma, or childbirth.
Proctitis
Proctitis (inflammation of the rectum) and anusitis (inflammation of the anus) have symptoms similar to those of hemorrhoids. However, proctitis and anusitis are usually caused by conditions such as ulcerative colitis, STIs or STDs, infections of the colon, or the consumption of certain medications or foods.
Inflammatory bowel syndrome
Painful bowel movements can be a symptom of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. In these conditions, inflammation in the digestive tract can lead to symptoms like abdominal pain and discomfort, which can be exacerbated during bowel movements. Additionally, inflammation and ulcers in the intestinal lining can cause pain when stool passes through.
Side effects of other medical problems
As a side effect, painful stools can be caused by a number of medical diseases. Irritable bowel syndrome ("IBS"), endometriosis, specific skin disorders, and specific malignancies are a few examples of these. Before jumping to the conclusion that you have any of these more serious medical conditions, it is essential to see a doctor.
Treatment of Painful Bowel Movements
Treatment for pelvic pain varies depending on the cause, the intensity of the pain, and how often the pain occurs. Sometimes pelvic pain is treated with medication, including antibiotics. If the pain results from a problem with any of the pelvic organs, treatment may involve surgery or other procedures. Physiotherapy can sometimes be helpful. Plus, since living with chronic pelvic pain can be stressful and overwhelming, studies have shown the benefit of working with a trained counselor, psychologist, or psychiatrist most of the time. A doctor can provide more information about the different treatments for pelvic pain.
Hemorrhoids
More serious hemorrhoids may need to be removed surgically.
Proctitis
Have an operation to remove damaged areas of your colon. Get treatments like argon plasma coagulation (APC) or electrocoagulation.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
Removal of parts of your colon or rectum, leaving a small pocket from your small intestine to your anus or outside of your body for collection.
Diarrhea
Treatment for diarrhea usually involves rehydration, inserting an intravenous line if necessary, or antibiotics.
Anal fissure
These are not too serious and usually go away without medical treatment in a little over a month.
Endometriosis
Minimally invasive laser surgery to remove tissue. Last resort surgical removal of the uterus, cervix, and ovaries to stop menstruation and tissue growth.
Anal or rectal cancer
Treatment for these cancers may include:
- chemotherapy injections or pills
- surgery to remove anal or rectal tumors and prevent the spread of cancerous tissue, possibly removing your entire rectum, anus, and parts of your colon if cancer has spread
- radiation therapy
- Regorafenib (Stivarga) for advanced rectal cancer to inhibit cancer cell growth.
When to see a Doctor?
Seek immediate medical attention if you have:
- Persistent pain
- Fever along with painful bowel movements
- Blood in stool
- Nausea, vomiting, fatigue, or abdominal bloating accompanying painful bowel movements
- Unexpected Weight Loss
- Family history of gastrointestinal disorders
Home remedies to get rid of Painful bowel movements:
Pelvic pain often responds to pain relievers, but be sure to consult your physician before taking any type of medication during pregnancy.
In some cases, rest can help. In others, gentle movements and mild exercise will be more beneficial. Try these tips:
- Put a hot water bottle on your abdomen to see if it helps relieve the cramps or take a warm bath.
- Elevate your legs to ease pelvic pain in the lower back or thighs.
- Try yoga, prenatal yoga, and meditation, to relieve pain.
- Take herbs, such as willow bark, which can help reduce pain. Obtain your doctor's approval before using it during pregnancy.
Prevention of Painful Bowel movements
Try the following prevention tips for underlying causes:
Hemorrhoids
- Take a hot bath for 10 minutes every day for pain relief.
- Apply a topical hemorrhoid cream for itching or burning.
- Eat more fiber foods or take fiber supplements, such as psyllium.
- Use a sitz bath.
- Wash your anus every time you bathe or shower with lukewarm water and mild, unscented soap.
- Use soft toilet paper when wiping. Consider using a bidet for a gentler cleaning.
- Apply a cold compress to help swell.
- Take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for pain, including ibuprofen (Advil) or naproxen (Aleve).
Constipation:
- Drink plenty of water - at least 64 ounces a day - to stay hydrated.
- Cut back on caffeine and alcohol.
- Eat lots of fiber or take fiber supplements.
- Eat foods that contain probiotics, like Greek yogurt.
- Cut back on foods that can cause constipation, such as meat and dairy products.
- Do about 30 minutes of light exercises, such as walking or swimming, each day to keep your bowels moving.
- Go into the bathroom as you feel it coming to keep the stool from getting hard or stuck.
- Try laxatives for severe cases, but talk to your doctor before taking them.
Proctite:
- Use condoms or other protection when you have sex.
- Avoid sexual contact with anyone who has visible lumps or sores in the genital area.
- Take antibiotics or antivirals prescribed for infections, such as doxycycline (Vibramycin) or acyclovir (Zovirax).
- Take any medicine prescribed for the side effects of radiation, such as mesalamine (Canasa) or metronidazole (Flagyl).
- Take over-the-counter stool softeners to help soften the stool.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD):
- nti-inflammatory drugs, such as mesalamine (Delzicol) or olsalazine (Dipentum)
- Immunosuppressants, such as azathioprine or methotrexate (Trexall)
- Medicines to control your immune systems, such as adalimumab (Humira) or natalizumab (Tysabri)
- Antibiotics for infections, such as metronidazole (Flagyl)
- Medicines for diarrhea, such as methylcellulose (Citrucel) or loperamide (Imodium A-D)
- Pain relievers, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol)
- Iron supplements to limit anemia because of bleeding intestines
- Calcium or vitamin D supplements to reduce your risk of osteoporosis from Crohn's disease
- A diet low in meat, low in dairy, and moderate in fiber with small amounts of caffeine and alcohol
Diarrhea:
- Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water before and after eating
- Wash and cook food properly, eat it right away, and quickly put leftovers in the fridge
- Ask your doctor about antibiotics before you travel to a new country
- Do not drink tap water when traveling and do not eat food washed in tap water. Use only bottled water
Anal fissure:
- take stool softeners
- hydrate with water and water-rich foods
- eat about 20 to 35 grams of fiber per day
- taking a sitz bath to improve blood circulation and help muscles relax
- applying hydrocortisone cream or ointment to reduce inflammation
- using pain-relieving ointments, such as lidocaine, to reduce pain
Endometriosis:
- pain medications, such as ibuprofen (Advil)
- hormonal therapy to regulate tissue growth
- birth control, such as medroxyprogesterone (Depo-Provera) injections, to reduce tissue growth and symptoms
- gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GRNH) to reduce estrogen, which handles tissue growth
