Chronic anal pain: A review of causes, diagnosis, and treatment

Charles H Knowles; Richard C Cohen

doi:10.3949/ccjm.89a.21102

Chronic anal pain: A review of causes, diagnosis, and treatment

Cleve Clin J Med. 2022 Jun 1;89(6):336-343. doi: 10.3949/ccjm.89a.21102.

Authors

Charles H Knowles¹, Richard C Cohen²

Affiliations

¹ Consultant Colorectal Surgeon, Cleveland Clinic London, UK; Professor of Surgery, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK; Professor of Experimental Therapeutics, University College London; Hon. Consultant Colorectal Surgeon, St Marks Hospital, London, UK; Hon. Professor of Colorectal Surgery, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium c.h.knowles@qmul.ac.uk.
² Consultant Colorectal Surgeon, Cleveland Clinic London, UK; Professor of Colorectal Surgery, University College London, London, UK.

PMID: 35649568
DOI: 10.3949/ccjm.89a.21102

Abstract

Chronic anal pain is difficult to diagnose and treat, especially with no obvious anorectal cause apparent on clinical examination. This review identifies 3 main diagnostic categories for chronic anal pain: local causes, functional anorectal pain, and neuropathic pain syndromes. Conditions covered within these categories include proctalgia fugax, levator ani syndrome, pudendal neuralgia, and coccygodynia. The signs, symptoms, relevant diagnostic tests, and main treatments for each condition are reviewed.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Anus Diseases* / complications
Anus Diseases* / diagnosis
Chronic Pain* / diagnosis
Chronic Pain* / etiology
Chronic Pain* / therapy
Humans
Neuralgia*
Pain
Pelvic Pain / etiology

Supplementary concepts

Levator syndrome