What To Do When Your Bowel Movements Hurt

The title of this blog is about what to do when your bowel movements hurt, and we’re going to get straight to the answer — come see us.

Bowel movements are part of your everyday life and shouldn't be painful or uncomfortable. When you’re hesitant to hit the head because of painful bowel movements, it’s a sign that something is wrong.

If pain relief isn’t a big enough driver to come see us, the team of colorectal experts here at Fairfax Colon & Rectal Surgery covers a few of the more common culprits behind painful bowel movements below.

Fistulas, fissures, abscesses, and more

If you develop a condition in your rectum or anus that involves sensitive and open tissue, pain during a bowel movement is par for the course. The condition we’re referring to include:

Anal fissures — a tear in the lining of your rectum

Annal fistulas — an abnormal tunnel between an anal gland and the skin

Abscesses — a pus-filled infection, often a result of fecal matter being trapped in a fistula

In addition to these conditions, hemorrhoids, which are swollen veins around your anus and rectum, can also cause uncomfortable bowel movements.

In addition to sharp pain during bowel movements, you may encounter rectal bleeding with these conditions.

Chronic constipation

If you’re dealing with chronic constipation — less than three bowel movements per week — the odds are good that it isn’t very comfortable when you do have a bowel movement.

Ongoing problems with defecation aren’t normal and may stem from something simple — lack of proper hydration — or something more serious, such as gastrointestinal disease. Whether serious or not, chronic constipation isn’t good for your digestive health, and it’s certainly doing nothing to make your bowel movements any easier.

Gastrointestinal disease

You can experience discomfort anywhere in your bowels before, during, and after a movement; this pain may stem from the following gastrointestinal diseases:

• Crohn’s disease
• Ulcerative colitis
• Diverticulitis

Included in these are colorectal cancers, which are diagnosed in more than 150,000 people in the United States each year.

Women’s health issues

Certain gender-specific concerns can lead to painful bowel movements in women, such as pregnancy, endometriosis, inflammatory bowel disease, and uterine fibroids.

Given the sheer number of potential causes of painful bowel movements, it’s a good idea to seek specialized help to find relief. Our team is made up of experts who specialize in most of the conditions that count painful bowel movements among their symptoms, and we can help you find relief.

To restore your ability to have a bowel movement without pain, please contact one of our offices in Fairfax, Fair Oaks, Alexandria, Gainesville, Woodbridge, or Lansdowne, Virginia, to schedule an appointment.