Proctitis: causes, symptoms and treatment options & bull; hello healthy

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Definition

What is proctitis?

Proctitis is inflammation of the anus (opening) and the lining of the rectum (the lower part of the intestine that leads to the anus). The rectum is a muscular tube that connects to the end of the large intestine. Stool leaves the body through the rectum.

Proctitis can cause pain in the rectum and a sensation like having to have a bowel movement continuously. The symptoms of proctitis can be brief or chronic.

How common is proctitis?

This condition can occur in patients of any age. Proctitis can be treated by reducing risk factors. Talk to your doctor for more information.

Signs & symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of proctitis?

Proctitis features and symptoms are:

• Feelings of frequent or persistent need to have a bowel movement
• Bleeding in the rectum
• Mucous discharge from the rectum
• Pain in the rectum
• Pain in the left side of the stomach
• Full feeling in the rectum
• Diarrhea
• Pain during bowel movements

There may be signs and symptoms not listed above. If you have concerns about a particular symptom, consult your doctor.

When should I see a doctor?

If you have any signs or symptoms above or any other questions, please consult your doctor. Everyone's body is different. Always consult a doctor to treat your health condition.

Cause

What causes proctitis?

The following are things that can trigger and cause proctitis:

• Inflammatory bowel disease. Nearly 30 percent of people with inflammatory bowel disease (Chron's disease or ulcerative colitis) have inflammation of the rectum.
• Infection. Sexually transmitted infections, transmitted especially to people who have anal intercourse, can cause proctitis. Sexually transmitted infections that can cause proctitis include gonorrhea, genital herpes and chlamydia. Infectious proctitis is also linked to HIV. Infections associated with foodborne illnesses, such as salmonella, shigella and campylobacter infections, can also cause proctitis.
• Radiation therapy for cancer. Radiation therapy aimed at the rectum or surrounding areas, such as the prostate, can cause inflammation of the lining of the rectum. Radiation proctitis can appear during radiation treatment and last several months or years after treatment.
• Antibiotics. Sometimes antibiotics to treat infections can kill the good bacteria in the gut, causing Clostridium bacteria to develop in the rectum.
• Diversion proctitis . Proctitis can occur in people having certain types of colon surgery in which the faecal duct is diverted from the rectum.
• Dietary protein-induced proctitis. This condition can occur in babies who consume cow's milk or soy milk, and who are breastfeeding in mothers who consume dairy products.
• Eosinophilic proctitis. This type of proctitis is caused by the buildup of a type of white blood cell (eosinophil) in the lining of the rectum that only affects children under 2 years of age.

Risk factors

What increases my risk for proctitis?

There are many risk factors for proctitis, including:

• Unsafe sex. Relationships that increase the risk of sexually transmitted diseases can increase the risk of proctitis. Your risk of getting sexually transmitted diseases increases if you have multiple sexual partners, don't use condoms and have sex with a partner who has a sexually transmitted disease.
• Inflammatory bowel disease. Having inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis or Chron's disease) increases your risk of proctitis.
• Radiation therapy for cancer. Radiation therapy aimed at or near the rectum (such as for cancer of the rectum, ovary or prostate) increases the risk of proctitis.

Medicines & Medicines

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

How is proctitis diagnosed?

Tests and procedures used to diagnose proctitis include:

• Blood test. This test can detect blood loss or infection.
• Stool test. You may be asked to collect stool cells for testing. This test can determine whether proctitis is caused by a bacterial infection.
• Examination of the end of the large intestine. During flexible sigmoidoscopy, the doctor uses a flexible tube with rays to examine the sigmoid, the last part of the large intestine - including the rectum. During this procedure, the doctor may also take a small sample of tissue (biopsy) for laboratory analysis.
• Sexually transmitted infection test. This test involves taking a sample of fluid from the rectum or the tube that drains urine from the bladder (urethra).

If the cause of proctitis is likely to be a sexually transmitted disease, the doctor may insert a thin swab at the end of the urethra or anus to collect a sample, which is then tested for bacteria or other infectious organisms. The test results can be used to determine the most effective treatment.

What are the treatments for proctitis?

Treatment for proctitis depends on the cause of the inflammation.

Treatment for proctitis caused by infection: The doctor may suggest medications to treat the infection, such as:

• Antibiotics. For proctitis caused by a bacterial infection, your doctor may recommend antibiotics, such as doxycycline (Periostat, Vibramycin).
• Antivital. For proctitis caused by viral infections, such as the herpes virus that is sexually transmitted, the doctor can give antiviral drugs, such as acyclovir (Sitavig, Zovirax, etc.).

Treatment for proctitis caused by radiation therapy: Mild cases of radiation proctitis may not need treatment. In other cases, radiation proctitis can cause pain and heavy bleeding that requires treatment. Your doctor may recommend treatments such as:

• Medications: Medications in the form of pills, suppositories or enemas, including sucralfate (Carafate), mesalamine (Asacol, Canasa, others) and sulfasalazine (Azulfidine), and metronidazole (Flagyl). These drugs can help control inflammation and reduce bleeding.
• Stool softeners and dilators. This can help open obstruction in the intestine.
• Treatment to destroy damaged tissue. This technique improves proctitis symptoms by destroying abnormal tissue (ablation) that is bleeding. Ablation procedures used to treat proctitis include argon plasma coagulation (APC), electrocoagulation and other therapies.

Proctitis caused by inflammatory bowel disease: Treatments for proctitis related to Chron's disease or ulcerative colitis are aimed at reducing inflammation of the rectum.

• Medicines to control rectal inflammation. Doctors can give anti-inflammatory drugs, either by mouth or as a suppository or enema, such as mesalamine (Asacol, Canasa, etc.) - or corticosteroids - such as prednisone (Rayos) or budesonide (Entocort EC, Uceris). Inflammation in people with Chron; s disease often requires medications that suppress the immune system, such as azathioprine (Azasan, Imuran) or infliximab (Remicade).
• Operation. If drug therapy doesn't relieve your signs and symptoms, your doctor may recommend surgery to remove the damaged part of the digestive tract.

Home remedies

What are some lifestyle changes or home remedies that can be used to treat proctitis?

Here are lifestyle and home remedies that can help you deal with proctitis:

• Ask your doctor before using an over-the-counter diarrhea medicine. Do not use anti-diarrheal drugs such as loperamide (Imodium A-D) without your doctor's approval.
• Avoid eating before bed. Eating before bed can stimulate the digestive system and cause you to want to have a bowel movement and feel uncomfortable at night.
• Use an over the counter pain reliever. Acetaminophen (Tylenol, etc.) can be useful, but check with your doctor before using aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, IB, etc.), as in some cases, these drugs can worsen proctitis.
• Use a sitz bath with warm water. The sitz bath fits over the toilet. You can find one at a medical supply store or pharmacy. Sitz baths can provide comfort if you have anal inflammation.

If you have any questions, consult your doctor for the best solution to your problem.