Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAnal FissureConstipationDiarrheaHemorrhoidsTailbone PainFistulaDiverticulitisIBDFecal IncontinenceRectal ProlapseProstatitisAnal CancerSeek Treatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Anal Fissure
Constipation
Diarrhea
Hemorrhoids
Tailbone Pain
Fistula
Diverticulitis
IBD
Fecal Incontinence
Rectal Prolapse
Prostatitis
Anal Cancer
Seek Treatment
Many conditions may cause pressure in your rectum, including constipation, diarrhea, anal fissure, and hemorrhoids. Serious causes of rectal pressure are less common and include diverticulitis, rectal prolapse, and anal cancer.
Pressure in the rectum can feel like a need to move your bowels. It can also feel like stool (poop) is stuck in the lower digestive tract or that something is falling out of your anus. Rectal pressure can range in intensity from a dull aching sensation to pain and cramping.
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The rectum is located at the end of the large intestine and is about 12 centimeters (4.7 inches) long. It is between the last segment of the colon (the sigmoid colon) and the anal sphincter.
Ananal fissureis a tear or crack in the tissue lining the anus that can cause pain and pressure in the rectum. Other symptoms of anal fissures include rectal bleeding and pain that lasts for hours after a bowel movement.
An anal fissure is usually acute and heals on its own with at-home treatment, including warm baths or ahigh-fiber diet.
To add more fiber to your diet, increase your intake of the following foods:
You will need to see your healthcare provider to discusstreatment for anal fissures. If the anal fissure is a chronic (long-term) problem, surgery may be needed.
Constipationis defined as bowel movements that occur fewer than three times per week. Symptoms may include abdominal discomfort; stools that are hard, dry, or lumpy; stools that are difficult or painful to pass; or a feeling that not all stool has passed, which can cause rectal pressure.
Lifestyle changes, such as adding fiber to your diet, drinking more water, and being active, can help relieve constipation. Other treatments may include over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription medicines, biofeedback, or surgery.
What Foods Cause Rectal Pain?High-fat and rich foods can aggravate constipation or pressure to build up in the rectum. Common foods that can cause pain include:CheeseFried foodProcessed meatsPackaged baked goods
What Foods Cause Rectal Pain?
High-fat and rich foods can aggravate constipation or pressure to build up in the rectum. Common foods that can cause pain include:CheeseFried foodProcessed meatsPackaged baked goods
High-fat and rich foods can aggravate constipation or pressure to build up in the rectum. Common foods that can cause pain include:
Diarrheais described as loose, waterystoolsthree or more times a day and can be acute (lasting one or two days), persistent (lasting two to four weeks), or chronic (lasting four or more weeks and can be continual or come and go).
For diarrhea, slowing bowel movements down may help with the pressure. Totreat diarrhea, try the following:
For diarrhea that is persistent or chronic, or if you see blood in the stool, check with a doctor before using these drugs.
Hemorrhoidsare swollen and inflamed veins around the rectum or anus that can be internal or external. This condition can result in anal discomfort or pressure, pain, itchiness, and bleeding. There areover-the-counter hemorrhoid creamsavailable.
You can also try at-home hemorrhoid treatments such as:
In some cases, procedures or surgery such as rubber band ligation,sclerotherapy, orhemorrhoidectomyare done to treat hemorrhoids.
Coccydynia (Bruised Tailbone)
An injury to thecoccyx(end of the spine) is calledcoccydynia, or bruised tailbone. Coccydynia is often related to an injury when falling on the tailbone or during childbirth, or from sitting for prolonged periods on hard surfaces.
Coccydynia will usually heal slowly with time and the following treatments:
Afistulais an abnormal tunnel or connection between two body parts that is usually the result of an injury, surgery, infection, or inflammation.If the fistula occurs between the rectum and the vagina or the intestine and the skin, it may cause pressure in the rectum.
Symptoms may include:
Additional symptoms can occur depending on the location of the fistula. Some fistulas will heal on their own without surgery to close them. Other treatments may include fluids, electrolytes, antibiotics, and nutrition support.
Diverticulitisis inflammation or infection of thediverticula(outpouchings) in the lining of the colon. Bloating and gas may put pressure on the rectum. Symptoms can include:
Depending on the severity and frequency of developing diverticulitis,treatmentmay include:
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Inflammatory bowel disease(IBD, which includesCrohn’s disease,ulcerative colitis, or indeterminate colitis) causes inflammation in the digestive tract.
Treatments for IBD can include:
There may be a sensation of intense pressure with fecal incontinence along with the inability to control the rectal muscles.
A number of conditions can cause this loss of bowel control, including:
Rectal prolapseoccurs when the lining or the wall of the rectum drops down through the anus. Symptoms may include:
A rectal prolapse that stays on the outside of your body can be serious and requires prompt medical treatment. The prolapsed tissue can become strangulated, start to lose circulation, become necrotic, and die.
Treatment usually involves surgery. Reducing or avoiding constipation is recommended to lower the chance of recurrence.
Prostatitisis inflammation of the prostate—a walnut-shaped gland responsible for producing the fluid portion of semen. Symptoms will differ depending on the cause of inflammation but may include:
Treatment depends on the type of prostatitis and may include antibiotics or other medications to decrease pain, discomfort, and inflammation. Other treatments may include sitz baths, heat therapy, physical therapy, biofeedback, and acupuncture.
Surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy are all treatments used for cancer. It’s important to remember, however, that cancer is not a common cause of rectal pressure.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Talking with a healthcare provider about symptoms in the digestive tract can be difficult. There are some key things to remember when bringing up anal or rectal pressure with your healthcare provider.
Summary
Pressure in the rectum may come from a variety of causes, but most of them are temporary and treatable. Seeing a healthcare provider for this symptom will help in understanding the cause and how to treat it.
21 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Medline Plus.Anal fissure.Gardner IH, Siddharthan RV, Tsikitis VL.Benign anorectal disease: hemorrhoids, fissures, and fistulas.Ann Gastroenterol.2020;33(1):9-18. doi:10.20524/aog.2019.0438National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Constipation.Johns Hopkins.Foods for Constipation.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Definition and facts for diarrhea.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Bland or BRAT diet: What it is.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Probiotics: what you need to know.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment of hemorrhoids.National Health Service.Tailbone (coccyx) pain.University of Rochester Medical Center.Bone bruise.Medline Plus.Fistula.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Colonic and anorectal fistulas.Penn Medicine.Diverticulitis.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Diverticular disease.Litta F, Scaldaferri F, Parello A, De Simone V, Gasbarrini A, Ratto C.Anorectal function and quality of life in IBD patients with a perianal complaint.J Invest Surg. 2021;34:547-553. doi:10.1080/08941939.2019.1658830.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & Causes of Fecal Incontinence.Knol ME, Snijders HS, van der Heyden JT, Baeten CI.Fecal Incontinence: The Importance of a Structured Pathophysiological Model.J Anus Rectum Colon. 2022;6(1):58-66. Published 2022 Jan 28. doi:10.23922/jarc.2021-040National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Rectal prolapse.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Prostatitis: inflammation of the prostate.National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: Anal cancer.National Cancer Institute.Colorectal cancer treatment.
21 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Medline Plus.Anal fissure.Gardner IH, Siddharthan RV, Tsikitis VL.Benign anorectal disease: hemorrhoids, fissures, and fistulas.Ann Gastroenterol.2020;33(1):9-18. doi:10.20524/aog.2019.0438National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Constipation.Johns Hopkins.Foods for Constipation.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Definition and facts for diarrhea.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Bland or BRAT diet: What it is.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Probiotics: what you need to know.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment of hemorrhoids.National Health Service.Tailbone (coccyx) pain.University of Rochester Medical Center.Bone bruise.Medline Plus.Fistula.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Colonic and anorectal fistulas.Penn Medicine.Diverticulitis.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Diverticular disease.Litta F, Scaldaferri F, Parello A, De Simone V, Gasbarrini A, Ratto C.Anorectal function and quality of life in IBD patients with a perianal complaint.J Invest Surg. 2021;34:547-553. doi:10.1080/08941939.2019.1658830.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & Causes of Fecal Incontinence.Knol ME, Snijders HS, van der Heyden JT, Baeten CI.Fecal Incontinence: The Importance of a Structured Pathophysiological Model.J Anus Rectum Colon. 2022;6(1):58-66. Published 2022 Jan 28. doi:10.23922/jarc.2021-040National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Rectal prolapse.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Prostatitis: inflammation of the prostate.National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: Anal cancer.National Cancer Institute.Colorectal cancer treatment.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Medline Plus.Anal fissure.Gardner IH, Siddharthan RV, Tsikitis VL.Benign anorectal disease: hemorrhoids, fissures, and fistulas.Ann Gastroenterol.2020;33(1):9-18. doi:10.20524/aog.2019.0438National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Constipation.Johns Hopkins.Foods for Constipation.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Definition and facts for diarrhea.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Bland or BRAT diet: What it is.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Probiotics: what you need to know.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment of hemorrhoids.National Health Service.Tailbone (coccyx) pain.University of Rochester Medical Center.Bone bruise.Medline Plus.Fistula.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Colonic and anorectal fistulas.Penn Medicine.Diverticulitis.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Diverticular disease.Litta F, Scaldaferri F, Parello A, De Simone V, Gasbarrini A, Ratto C.Anorectal function and quality of life in IBD patients with a perianal complaint.J Invest Surg. 2021;34:547-553. doi:10.1080/08941939.2019.1658830.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & Causes of Fecal Incontinence.Knol ME, Snijders HS, van der Heyden JT, Baeten CI.Fecal Incontinence: The Importance of a Structured Pathophysiological Model.J Anus Rectum Colon. 2022;6(1):58-66. Published 2022 Jan 28. doi:10.23922/jarc.2021-040National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Rectal prolapse.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Prostatitis: inflammation of the prostate.National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: Anal cancer.National Cancer Institute.Colorectal cancer treatment.
Medline Plus.Anal fissure.
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National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Constipation.
Johns Hopkins.Foods for Constipation.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Definition and facts for diarrhea.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Bland or BRAT diet: What it is.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Probiotics: what you need to know.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment of hemorrhoids.
National Health Service.Tailbone (coccyx) pain.
University of Rochester Medical Center.Bone bruise.
Medline Plus.Fistula.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Colonic and anorectal fistulas.
Penn Medicine.Diverticulitis.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Diverticular disease.
Litta F, Scaldaferri F, Parello A, De Simone V, Gasbarrini A, Ratto C.Anorectal function and quality of life in IBD patients with a perianal complaint.J Invest Surg. 2021;34:547-553. doi:10.1080/08941939.2019.1658830.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & Causes of Fecal Incontinence.
Knol ME, Snijders HS, van der Heyden JT, Baeten CI.Fecal Incontinence: The Importance of a Structured Pathophysiological Model.J Anus Rectum Colon. 2022;6(1):58-66. Published 2022 Jan 28. doi:10.23922/jarc.2021-040
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Rectal prolapse.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Prostatitis: inflammation of the prostate.
National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: Anal cancer.
National Cancer Institute.Colorectal cancer treatment.
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