Causes

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Causes of anal pain include:

  1. Anal cancer
  2. Anal fissure (a small tear in the lining of the anal canal)
  3. Anal fistula (an abnormal channel between the anus or rectum usually to the skin near the anus)
  4. Anal itching (pruritus ani)
  5. Anal sex
  6. Anal or rectal stricture (narrowing that may occur from scarring, severe inflammation or cancer)
  7. Constipation — which can be chronic and last for weeks or longer.
  8. Crohn's disease — which causes tissues in the digestive tract to become inflamed.
  9. Diarrhea (causing anal irritation)
  10. Fecal impaction (a mass of hardened stool in the rectum due to chronic constipation)
  11. Genital warts
  12. Hemorrhoids (swollen and inflamed veins in your anus or rectum)
  13. Levator ani syndrome (spasm in the muscles that surround the anus)
  14. Perianal abscess (pus in the deep tissue around the anus)
  15. Perianal hematoma (a collection of blood in the perianal tissue caused by a ruptured vein, sometimes called an external hemorrhoid)
  16. Proctalgia fugax (fleeting pain due to rectal muscle spasm)
  17. Proctitis (inflammation of the lining of the rectum)
  18. Pudendal neuralgia, a nerve condition that causes extreme pain in the anal and pelvic area.
  19. Solitary rectal ulcer syndrome (ulcer of the rectum)
  20. Tailbone pain, also known as coccydynia or coccygodynia
  21. Thrombosed hemorrhoid (blood clot in a hemorrhoid)
  22. Trauma
  23. Ulcerative colitis — a disease that causes ulcers and swelling called inflammation in the lining of the large intestine.
  24. Ulcerative proctitis (a type of inflammatory bowel disease)

Causes shown here are commonly associated with this symptom. Work with your doctor or other health care professional for an accurate diagnosis.

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Nov. 16, 2024

See also

  1. Carcinoid tumors
  2. Hemorrhoids
  3. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
  4. Inflammatory bowel disease FAQs
  5. Proctitis
  6. Solitary rectal ulcer syndrome