Rectal Pain

[Turgon]

This is a little uncomfortable to talk about but I’ve been having some sharp pains ‘down under’. A few weeks ago I did a coffee enema and that’s when it started happening so I haven’t done another one since. The pain started as soon as the coffee entered and was near unbearable. Afterwards, anytime I would shift or move around I’d get more shooting pain that made it difficult to do anything except try and relax and breathe. It was coupled with a dull ache in my lower back so when I went to the doctor about it he suspected it could be kidney stones and did some tests for that which came up negative. I couldn’t lift anything heavy or even moderately heavy for the first week or so, anything that would put strain or pressure in my abdomen would cause a flare-up but since then had started to feel better although I’ve avoided the gym. This was coupled with flu-like symptoms periodically and a total lack of energy, which makes it seem like inflammation.

When talking to a friends girlfriend, who is a nurse, she said what I described sounded like IBS or Ulcerative Colitis to her although that isn’t an official diagnosis. So I went back to the basics and have only eaten meat and some veggies to try and eliminate any major inflammation. So far so good as things got better, I was able to lift again and go to the bathroom without issue or worries, but not entirely. Last night I sat down to tie my shoes and started getting the pains again which I can still feel today.

This year I’ve been more lax with my diet, eating different foods that I normally wouldn’t which didn’t seem to be affecting me the way it used to anymore i.e. no major side-effects or symptoms, including cheese and dairy, spices and carbs, which I was elated I could eat again without fuss. But that may have added up and I should go completely carnivore for a little while until this subsides.

In the last few weeks the only thing that comes to mind differently was some cassava chips late last week and a stew that anartist made which did have a few things in it I wasn’t sure of. The doctor said if it persisted to come back and he’ll book me in with a specialist which I’m going to book but just wondering if anyone had any insight or advice that might help.

 

[s-kur]

Hi, Turgon. Very sorry to hear that you have such an issue. I know how uncomfortable it could be.
And if I understand you correctly regarding pains you're talking about then I can say
that since get the same issue (but not as strong as yours, I should say, despite of mine is going to be chronical), I used Extractum Belladonnae suppositories to alleviate symptoms during exacerbation.

I would recommend you to have specialised inspection since you have such shootings.

Hope you'll recover soon

 

[Jones]

Do you often get back pain or stiffness? Inflammation or compression around nerve roots that are exiting the spine can cause all sorts of odd symptoms.


Be careful about heavy exercise/lifting, bending or twisting until you figure out the cause. There may be compression somewhere and diet relieved inflammation in the area to ease the symptoms. Hope it's nothing major and you feel better soon.

 

[Glenn]

Yeah, Turgon take care of yourself. I am not sure either what it would be. But having a brother with Ulcerative Colitis, one thing he mentioned was he had blood in the stool, and that is usually the first sign of it. Take care.

 

[Temperance]

I'm sorry to hear that, Turgon, it sounds quite unpleasant. Hopefully it's nothing serious. Do you think that maybe the coffee was too hot? A burn, perhaps? Or maybe a hemorroid? Perhaps a laceration made by an undigested cassava chip, irritated by the coffee? Those are pretty tough fibers, at least the ones I've tried around here. Maybe a combination of the above. If there is blood in the stool, it may not be visually detected. Flu-like symptoms may point to an infection, if you're having fever.
I would suggest making an appointment asap, since it seems like it's not easily diagnosable, imho.

 

[Yas]

Hi Turgon, I'm sorry to hear that too.

I agree with Temperance. Because it is such a delicate area and it is hard to know for sure, I think it will be better if you get an inspection if the pain persists. The fact that you don't mention blood makes me think that it isn't an injury caused by the enema, but that was the first thing I thought about. As Temperance says, sometimes you can't see blood in the stool, so it is still possible that you might have injured yourself accidentally. I could also be IBS or Colitis, even if you there isn't visible blood, so, again, it's hard to know without a medical inspection.

I hope you get better soon!

 

[Alejo]

Aye! That’s so uncomfortable, that’s happened to me a few times and I don’t notice until it starts to sting to go to the bathroom, it burns like a cut ought to burn.

I don’t know if that’s similar to what you’re experiencing, but one day, and this is where it’ll probably get too explicit, while showering I felt something there that shouldn’t be a tiny bulge... and I connected the dots to a hemorrhoid.

In my case I noticed that it would come whenever I would eat poorly, and if I combined that With a heavy day at the gym then... we’ll they didn’t help cause now my muscles were sore, I strained my veins and I probably ate something that inflamed my colon.

Needless to say, other than taking medication. I have opted for watching what I eat better (I had also come to get quite lax about my diet, specially around holidays). Not strain myself too much at the gym, and watch proper posture and proper motion... that helps a lot. I’ve been surprised by how many times my back or neck hurts when doing an arm curl, and that’s because I noticed I “lift with my neck and back”, there’s more to that tendency but the point I’m trying to make is that we can hurt certain muscles we don’t intend to because of the way we lift and where in our body do we push our strength out of, so to speak.

Another thing that has helped me with that, is inverting. While lying in bed I’d try to find an inverted position and that seems to help the circulation, which helps the pressure.

Now you have other symptoms like your back hurting which is odd, have you noticed blood in your stool? I think that’s one of those things to pay attention to.

I hope the above helps a bit, I know it may not be related at all. I hope you figure out what it is soon and can address it properly.

Whenever that happens to me I always find myself thinking that we don’t realize how much we need to evacuate until it hurts to do so.

Hang in there Turgon.

 

[seek10]

I think you may want follow up with doctor to see what he suggests. I also tend to get hemorrhoid if i eat more spicy food few days in a row. probably you scratched hemorroid, when it is already there. you may want to go back to regular diet that you know it won't hurt you. Hang in Turgon and it should pass

 

[Turgon]

Do you think that maybe the coffee was too hot? A burn, perhaps? Or maybe a hemorroid? Perhaps a laceration made by an undigested cassava chip, irritated by the coffee?

The coffee was room temperature by the time I did the enema and the doctor did check and there were no external hemorrhoids that he detected, although that doesn't mean there might not be an internal one. Although the doctor noticed a slight fissure which could have been from the enema insert which might explain why it was so painful. But it has healed since then.

Do you often get back pain or stiffness? Inflammation or compression around nerve roots that are exiting the spine can cause all sorts of odd symptoms.

I have had back problems over the years but since starting core exercises that hasn't been much of an issue lately. I really can't explain what the connection to my lower back was when this pain initially started. With so many connecting nerves and organs in and around the lumbar and lower thoracic, one issue might have stimulated the other? And definitely no heavy lifting. I can and have performed body weight exercises, push ups, chin ups, etc. that doesn't seem to be a problem, but as soon as I start lifting or sit down for too long, after a while I can feel the pain start to come back.

Now you have other symptoms like your back hurting which is odd, have you noticed blood in your stool? I think that’s one of those things to pay attention to.

Sorry to hear you have similar issues, same with @s-kur it can be so debilitating sometimes. Although after talking to a few people about it, it's a lot more common than I thought but it's not a topic that's normally brought up. Thankfully no blood in my stool that I can see. And I hope this isn't a hemorrhoid although there is that definite ache in my lower back/rectal connection. But I'll try some of the techniques you mentioned for relieving pressure.

Won't know anymore until I see the specialist about it.

Thank you everyone for your support and comments!

On an aside, @anartist brought up a possible emotional connection to this and Louise Hayes says this about rectum/anal pain that' something to reflect on - Guilt. Desire for punishment. Not feeling good enough. and her affirmation is: The past is over. I choose to love and approve of myself in the now.

 

[Jones]

I have had back problems over the years but since starting core exercises that hasn't been much of an issue lately. I really can't explain what the connection to my lower back was when this pain initially started. With so many connecting nerves and organs in and around the lumbar and lower thoracic, one issue might have stimulated the other? And definitely no heavy lifting. I can and have performed body weight exercises, push ups, chin ups, etc. that doesn't seem to be a problem, but as soon as I start lifting an external weight or sit down for too long, after a while I can feel the rectal pain.

Piriformis Syndrome can cause rectal pain and is worse after sitting. It's related to sciatica, and is worse after sitting because the piriformis muscle flattens out and stiffens and puts pressure on the nerves running under it. Maybe a good massage, or heat pad will help the muscle relax.

Chronic Pain: Is It Piriformis Syndrome, Sciatica or Both?

Low back pain can happen because of disease, pelvic injury, lesions pressing on the nerve, piriformis syndrome, or the presence of myofascial trigger points. Here's how to evaluate your symptoms so you can find the right treatments.

www.healthcentral.com

There are some piriformis muscle stretches here:

Piriformis Muscle Stretch and Physical Therapy

Stretching exercises that target the piriformis, hamstrings, and hip extensors can help decrease piriformis muscle pain in the buttock and improve the range of motion in the lower back and pelvic region.

www.spine-health.com

 

[whitecoast]

Really sorry about your condition Turgon. Not being able to work out or move as spontaneously or freely as you have in the past really, really sucks. I've had similar pains in the past, and still do on occasion, but the doctor said it was likely from excess pressure on the tailbone during certain movements (eg, falling from a distance). I hope a specialist will be helpful to you, as I think it provides more closure than just experimenting with diet and movement restrictions in hopes that it goes away eventually with time.

 

[Thebull]

Sorry to hear about your problem Turgon sounds painful and uncomfortable. I feel that to be on the safe side further investigation is required hopefully it's nothing serious it's caused by a reaction to something you've eaten. I've recently visited the doctors myself to be checked out as at times i had blood in my stool. I thought I'd get checked out after reading Gaby's article on bowel cancer and my father having it previously. I'm awaiting on a colonoscopy. Take care And hope things improve quicky.

 

[Gaby]

This year I’ve been more lax with my diet, eating different foods that I normally wouldn’t which didn’t seem to be affecting me the way it used to anymore i.e. no major side-effects or symptoms, including cheese and dairy, spices and carbs, which I was elated I could eat again without fuss.

Sounds like it was affecting you after all. Coffee enemas trigger colitis because of the toxic load dumped into the intestines, which is why is suggested to start with a very low coffee dose and if there's colitis, to repeat another one shortly after to unload the toxins more easily. It's understandable if you don't want to repeat another one, but maybe you can do a probiotic one or just warmed saline solution.

Now you know that the diet was clearly affecting you. Hope you get better soon!

 

[Chu]

I've had that in the past as well, and I'm sure it was from diet, especially too much dairy. It can be cumulative. The enema could have triggered detox symptoms, or you may not have fully gotten rid of the inflammation yet.

If you are afraid of trying enemas again, this is something I've actually done three times in my life, with very good effects (once after the types of pains you described).

Intestinal Cleansing – Shankhaprakshalana | Scandinavian Yoga & Meditation School

by Shanti 1996, revised and expanded in May 2009 Many years ago, I met a friend on the street who cheerfully told me of a girl he had just met. Then he said something that caused me to prick up my...

www.yogameditation.com

Basti and Shanka Prakshalana

Basti and Shanka Prakshalana (Complete Cleansing of the Intestines, Sanskrit: बस्ती और शंका प्रक्षालन, Bastī and Shankā Prakshālana) - Basti, Shanka...

www.yogaindailylife.org

(Water at about 36ºC, 1/2 teaspoon of salt per liter. 6 glasses minimum before going to the bathroom, and then up to 16 is probably the maximum, but 12 is average for most people.)

Don't laugh! It did work. But no need to do it so religiously with the exercises as precise as described. And you can just eat meat afterwards. If you do decide to try it out though, read the instructions carefully and watch a video or two for the exercises and procedure. And make sure it's on a day when you aren't working, because you may need some rest afterwards (and at least 10 hours fasting beforehand).

The simplest, otherwise, is to do something like this: Saltwater Flush: Safety, Recipe, and More
Just a pint or 2 at the most. And see what happens.

Some people take Magnesium (chloride?), but I can't remember the exact protocol.

 

[3DStudent]

FWIW, if it is a hemorrhoid, this recent post by Joe has a remedy:

Recently a family member had surgery planned for an external hemorrhoid, that they had for many years but which had become a problem. Since we like DMSO, I wondered if it might help (and I remember that someone had brought it up here before). I searched the web and found a website that discusses just that, and adds potassium iodide and aloe vera juice. So we made up the solution, put it in a small spray bottle (although you can also apply it manually) and the family member tried it. The initial reaction (after one application) was quite dramatic, the hemorrhoid more or less 'deflated' completely. It then 'restored' itself slightly but was still a lot better. The experiment is ongoing, (it can take a couple of weeks of nightly application) but it seems very promising.

Anyway, the person who runs the website released a short book with the protocol for both external and internal hemorrhoids, so I'll include the relevant text here for external hemorrhoids for anyone who is interested. Here's the link to the book which has more information on internal problems.

After testing on myself and a number of others at JPT Wellness Circle, I have called my revised formula HemorrHeal. My HemorrHeal formula and usage instructions are below, for each specific rectal condition (but you are certainly free to use Dr. Wright's formula, if you prefer):

HemorrHeal For External Hemorrhoids

• 1.5 tablespoons George's "Always Active" Aloe Vera Juice

• 20 drops (1/4 tsp) potassium iodide (SSKI)

• 1/2 teaspoon liquid 99% concentration DMSO

1. Mix ingredients together in a glass measuring cup with a pour spout.

2. Pour into a one-ounce amber glass bottle. Store at room temperature away from light and heat.

3. Apply liberally (really soak the hemorrhoids) at bedtime with your finger, organic cotton bud (Q-Tip), or soft, natural fiber paintbrush. Wear 100% cotton underwear to prevent any staining on your sheets – but still allow the area to breathe. Or, you can sleep on top of a cotton towel – both DMSO and potassium iodide will stain fabrics, so protect your sheets.
4. If you have trouble reaching your hemorrhoids, then get into the “hemorrhoid position” where you are kneeling on the floor or bed. But instead of kneeling on your hands and knees, you are on your elbows and knees with your butt raised in the air. This automatically spreads your buttocks and opens the anal area allowing for easy access to your hemorrhoids.

I prefer to use a natural fiber paintbrush to apply the formula – this provides the best coverage with the least wastage. You can get natural hair brushes at art stores, or anywhere they sell good quality cosmetics – a natural hair eyeshadow brush works well. Clean your brush with warm, soapy water after use and stand upright to dry.

• Apply before bed at night every night for 10 nights. Then take a one-week break. If still needed, then apply every night for two weeks. Then take a one-week break. If still needed, start the dosage cycle again at the beginning. BUT, hemorrhoids will likely heal in the first week or two.