Proctalgia fugax is anal pain with no specific cause. It occurs from intense muscle spasms in or around the canal of the anus. It can be severe enough to impact your day-to-day life. Anyone can ...

If you have ever been jolted awake by a sharp, stabbing pain in your rectum that disappeared just as suddenly as it arrived, you are not alone. It is a surprisingly common experience, yet most people ...

Proctalgia fugax refers to the sudden onset of severe pain in the rectal area, which can last from seconds to minutes. The pain is sporadic, can be without warning, and occurs due to muscle spasms in ...

Jay N. Yepuri, MD, MS, FACG, is a board-certified gastroenterologist and member of the Digestive Health Associates of Texas Board of Directors and Executive Committee. Proctalgia fugax causes short ...

Larissa Banitt is a registered nurse who combines her English and Nursing degrees in writing health content. She has worked on the floor on a medical-surgical unit and currently works providing care ...

A 34-year-old taxi driver developed a sudden, severe pain in his anus while driving his cab. The pain made him feel light headed and he needed to pull the cab over to the side of the road. After a ...

“It feels like somebody shoved a sword up my backside.” “It’s like a horrible muscle cramp in my rectum.” “It’s all I can do to keep from screaming.” Last week we reviewed piriformis syndrome. This ...

Pain is part of life for many people. You might have headaches, stiff knees, or back pain. Those types of pain are often shared with others — we have no trouble talking about them. But what about if ...