Proctalgia fugax
You don't need to be Editor-In-Chief to add or edit content to WikiDoc. You can begin to add to or edit text on this WikiDoc page by clicking on the edit button at the top of this page. Next enter or edit the information that you would like to appear here. Once you are done editing, scroll down and click the Save page button at the bottom of the page.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Phone:617-525-6884
Please Take Over This Page and Apply to be Editor-In-Chief for this topic: There can be one or more than one Editor-In-Chief. You may also apply to be an Associate Editor-In-Chief of one of the subtopics below. Please mail us [2] to indicate your interest in serving either as an Editor-In-Chief of the entire topic or as an Associate Editor-In-Chief for a subtopic. Please be sure to attach your CV and or biographical sketch.
Overview
| Proctalgia fugax Classification and external resources | |
| ICD-10 | K59.4 |
|---|---|
| ICD-9 | 564.6 |
|
WikiDoc Resources for Proctalgia fugax | |
|
Articles | |
|---|---|
|
Most recent articles on Proctalgia fugax Most cited articles on Proctalgia fugax | |
|
Media | |
|
Powerpoint slides on Proctalgia fugax | |
|
Evidence Based Medicine | |
|
Clinical Trials | |
|
Ongoing Trials on Proctalgia fugax at Clinical Trials.gov Trial results on Proctalgia fugax Clinical Trials on Proctalgia fugax at Google
| |
|
Guidelines / Policies / Govt | |
|
US National Guidelines Clearinghouse on Proctalgia fugax NICE Guidance on Proctalgia fugax
| |
|
Books | |
|
News | |
|
Commentary | |
|
Definitions | |
|
Patient Resources / Community | |
|
Patient resources on Proctalgia fugax Discussion groups on Proctalgia fugax Patient Handouts on Proctalgia fugax Directions to Hospitals Treating Proctalgia fugax Risk calculators and risk factors for Proctalgia fugax
| |
|
Healthcare Provider Resources | |
|
Causes & Risk Factors for Proctalgia fugax | |
|
Continuing Medical Education (CME) | |
|
International | |
|
| |
|
Businness | |
|
Experimental / Informatics | |
Proctalgia fugax is a severe, episodic, anal pain. It can be caused by cramp of the pubococcygeus or levator ani muscles. [1]
Presentation
It most often occurs in the middle of the night[1] and lasts approximately 20 minutes, occasionally 30 minutes or longer. Because pain threshold drops during sleep it intensifies as you go to sleep and wakes the sufferer up again. Most sufferers encounter it less than 6 times a year and can go for many months without an episode. Onset can be in childhood. One study showed that men were affected more commonly than women.[1]
During an episode, the patient feels spasm-like pain in the anus, often misinterpreted as a need to defecate. Simultaneous stimulation of the local autonomic system can cause erection in males. It is a disorder of skeletal muscle, it is recurrent and there is also no known cure. It is not known to be linked to any disease process and data on the number of people afflicted varies, but is more prevalent than usually thought.
Like all ordinary muscle cramps it is a severe, deep rooted pain.
It has been reported to occur immediately following ejaculation.
Episodes happen almost always with an empty colon. Defaecation of any faeces present can to worsen the spasm, but may relieve it, or provide a measure of comfort. The pain might subside by itself as the spasm disappears on its own, or may persist or reoccur during the same night. At the time it can seem like 'it will never go away'.
In males there seems to be some indication that prolonged and tense sexual arousal may lead to an episode later that night.
Treatment and prevention
Traditional remedies have ranged from warm baths (if the pain lasts long enough to draw a bath), warm to hot enemas,[1] relaxation techniques,gentle massage of the anus, and various medications. None of these is effective, however.
The use of botulinum toxin has been proposed[1], as has diazepam.[1]
An episode may sometimes be avoided by making sure not to engage in sexual activity within a close time proximity to defecation. Those afflicted can usually tell after either sex or after defecation whether they would be in danger of an episode if they were to engage in the other activity, the potential onset of an episode being usually preceded by a very slight version of the pain that will eventually become much more intense.
Several people have expirienced relief by cold water enema. Also, moist heat, for example a warm wet towel has been reported to have more or less effect.
References
External links
nl:Anaal spasme
| ||||
Acknowledgement and Attribution Regarding Sources of Content
Some of the initial content on this page may be incorporated in part from copyleft sources in the public domain including wikis such as Wikipedia and AskDrWiki. Drug information for patients came from the The National Library of Medicine. Infectious disease information may have come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Differential Diagnoses are drawn from clinicians as well as an amalgamation of 3 sources: 1.The Disease Database; 2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:3; 3. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:7 .
