Proctitis- Symptoms and Causes

Not very many people have ever heard of Proctitis. Proctitis is an inflammation of your anus and the lining of your rectum, which is the lower part of the intestine leading to the anus. Symptoms of Proctitis can vary greatly. Some people may have minor problems while others have more severe. Because this condition affects the last six inches of the rectum, it can cause pain during a bowel movement, involuntary spasms and cramping during bowel movements, soreness in your anal and rectal area, and even possibly bleeding and discharge. Proctitis can persist in people for a short amount of time such as weeks or it can last for months or years.

The causes of proctitis vary. Sexually transmitted diseases are the most common cause. It usually spawns from honorrhea, syphilis, herpes, anal warts, and Chlamydia. Proctitis is mostly common in homosexual men and people who engage in oral and anal intercourse with many partners. However, there are causes of proctitis that is nonsexually transmitted. These are usually caused by infections in the body. Chron disease and ulcerative colitis also play a factor. Being exposed to harmful physical agents such as chemicals and foreign objects being placed in the rectum that causes trauma can cause proctitis. Radiation and antibiotics from another illness can also cause a reaction in your body to have rectal irritation.

Doctors diagnose proctitis depending on the suspected cause of it. Your doctor will ask for a thorough medical history to determine if you have any high risk sexual behaviors. Most of the time, a colonoscopy or proctosigmoidoscopy is done to determine what caused the condition to form in your body. This is when a lighted tube with a camera is passed through the anus and is used to look at the surface of your rectum. The picture comes up on a screen. A biopsy is usually done with this procedure. A small piece of tissue is taken from your rectum for testing for disease or infection.

Treatment of proctitis greatly depends on the causes of the disease. If it is because of a sexually transmitted disease, the doctor may give an antibiotic to kill the organism or an injection. If the cause is because of an inflammatory disease the patient may receive steroids such as suppository steroids. Proctitis can be treatable, and involve making healthy choices in your life.