# Proctalgia fugax



## Mr.Wolf (Jun 3, 2014)

A sharp, stabbing pain like a cramp for 2 seconds then its gone. Is this a more common issue with IBSers? Ive had PF for years way before I ever had IBS. I rememmber being a teenager and getting this shrap stabbing pain that felt like it was coming from my anus. Them its gone, as quickly as it appeared. i could feel it coming on, like a build up then BAM. When i drink to much coffee they becaome more frequent. Any remedies out there???

Let me know.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Common in both people with IBS and those without

Not a lot of treatments.

http://www.gihealth.com/html/education/proctalgiaFugax.html lists the ones that there are.


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## Blair (Dec 15, 1998)

I get that I had a L5 S1 herniated disk which was operated on. Mine can last for up to an hour and always starts in the middle of the night.

very painful. Don't like it.


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## PTF (Apr 25, 2015)

Hello.

I've just put a name to the condition I've had on and off for over twenty years. Proctalgia fugax.

It manifests itself as a deep set pain in my anus. I can feel it coming on and a real nasty attack leaves me sweating profusely and close to losing conciousness.

The worst one has lasted 20-30 minutes and syncope symptoms follow an attack.

I feel a desire to defecate but on sitting on the loo nothing happens. I get dizzy and need to lie down quickly, this prevents me falling but the process which I know now needs to finish it's course, is really painful. The relief as it passes is amazing.

It happened once when I was driving. Recognising the symptoms I pulled over and within minutes was drenched in sweat and lost conciousness. My poor wife was terrified and called an ambulance which, when it arrived, I was awake and feeling exhausted but the pain was gone.

The ambulance took me to hospital and the doctors took blood, my blood pressure and observed me for a few hours and returned to say I had experienced syncope......... well they were right, but as a result of a proctalgia fugax attack which they never mentioned because they clearly didn't know about it.

My sympathy to anyone who experiences this awful condition. Thankfully my attacks are few and far between but boy do I know when they are coming.

In answer to if there is anything one can do to help as the attack is in full swing I have found asking (because I'm too debilitated to move myself at this stage) my wife to get ice packs from the fridge and place them on my head and chest.. No idea why but the almost painful shock of the cold hitting you seems to help.

This is of course if it occurs at night in bed. The car episode was the only time it happened when I was out, so I had to faint it seems for it to stop.

I'm a 55 year old man. Not overweight, a non smoker and in general good health...... I hope this is of some use to anyone puzzled by these symptoms.


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## NWResearch (May 3, 2017)

So after a bit of research it seems that the lower to mid level foot cramp like rectal pain I get every year or every few months (not sure) may be medically called 'proctalia fugax.' Which is nice to know because it's easier to research possible causes, cures and alleviations when you know the name of it.

The Mayo Clinic is one of the few sources of medical information I trust and it is public and free.

So I think sometimes proctalia fugaz is like a muscle cramp of the 'pelvic floor' related to having sex for example (though rarely related to it for some reason but thankfully) but also perhaps to eating low fat U.S. American style cheeses (such as reduced fat colby cheese, just four slices last month seemed to do it but can't be certain it was the cause). The ingredients of the cheese seem normal to me, with the only possibility being the seed extract Annattto which is used to put orange coloring into foods. The cheese did not likely have a fake fat like Olestra for example (if Olestra is even still legal in the United States).

I do think it's possible I am tense when staying with my in laws and while I'm thinking it was the reduced fat cheese at their ouse it could be a. eating less vegetables (I think I ate extra honestly but not sure) b. the sitting and tension involved in commuting 1.5 to 2 hours in traffic on the freeway/husband's speeding: fear of ticket and increased car insurance and the delay of getting pulled over (i.e stress) and c. tension of managing our dogs at their house when there is no fence so we need to track that they are going out every two hours and picked up after (while juggling trying to get internet device addicted children to interact with their grandparents and even us). I don't get to make the rules about our kids in our family/I'm not their biological mother or a mother figure to them really.

So one forum I read said one person got their pain to leave them for months by increasing salt because a low salt diet can result in muscle cramps fyi. I can't imagine that would be true for me because although I eat nearly exclusively homemade food I always salt it and the stock I use to flavor foods has a high sodium content (28%). However, perhaps it's possible given that I rarely cook with stock and pretty much never buy packaged spices specifically due to their sodium content and their other unidentifiable ingredients and unnecessary ingredients. So who knows, maybe some weeks I just don't get enough salt/sodium.

I don't journal this enough to figure it out really but I suspect it can't hurt to eat more vegetables and drink more water.

I'm not known to have IBS but one of my parents might have that and might have Crohns, the diagnoses are always changing but they recently were diagnosed with diverticulitis and ulderative colon. It seems they may, or may not, have nearly everything. That individual also leads one of the most stressful (socially/family) lifestyles I have ever seen on top of smoking and being very emotionally reactive versus responding commensurately/in line with the actual stressful event.

I hope this is helpful to someone, thank you all for sharing here it is very informative to help me possibly prevent this very painful if brief pain in the tooshy. I think there are so many different causes it's helpful if we each share ours to help others.

(P.S. constipation was solved by physical activity and increased water and vegetables but did seem to initially worsen after moving in together years ago and quitting my job to live closer to fiance's children/having trouble finding a temporary job unexpectedly after years of easy temporary work in the D.C. area)(History of hemmorhoids three times in my life were so bad I went to the doctor for draining: solved only this last time by riding a bicycle, it pumped the blood out!!! It was by accident, I was just so sick of laying around in pain because even the Bastyr Naturopaths could not seem to help get them to go away after THREE MONTHS!!!! and had nothing to recommend for pain except alternating hot and cold sitz baths (which resulted in me sobbing in the tub because I'm really not fond of sitting in very cold water while unemployed laying around using up my meager savings and looking for work while laying down since hurt to much to sit: never got a special pillow silly me I was only a 2nd time hemmorhoid experiencer then). Hard uncooked vegetables seem to work best to prevent constipation coupled with avoiding U.S. style cheeses most of the time and ok eating European style cheeses (feta, soft goat cheese, mozzarella packed in water if it has that spongy porouse look to it only). Change from office job to physical labor job has helped prevent hemmorhoids and constipation as well except when I eat a lot of cheese and/or take an airplane or sit around a lot. I get constipated nearly every time I take a plane, even if it's only a couple hour flight and I ask for two cups of water on the plane.


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## Scott Cosmi (Mar 11, 2018)

Works for me - been suffering with this flairing up every 3-6 months nearly my entire adult life -very painful - passed out once & broke my leg due to the pain. Luckily I figured out something that works for me - if I wake up or just start to feel the onset - I quickly down a couple of shots of strong alcohol - Peach Snaps, Vodka, Rum, etc - doesn't matter. If its just starting - it will fade without going full blown - If its already full blown it dramatically reduces the time of the pain. Of course- do not drive if you just guzzled down 2-4 shots of alcohol. Best wishes -hope you find this helpful. If so report back - I am curious if it is just me or works for others


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## SkubalaHead (Aug 19, 2018)

I have suffered from PF since my 20s (I am 40 now). I wanted to share a remedy that has worked quite well for me, hoping it can work for others.

When I recognize the symptoms coming on (usually awoken from deep sleep in the middle of the night), I give myself a hot-water enema. I have the setup all ready to go to save time and prevent any fumbling in the dark of night. No joke, once the warm/hot water starts flushing in, the pain subsides in seconds -- it really is near instant relief. I have used this procedure 10-12 times in the past couple of years, and it has worked wonders every time.

I bought a simple setup from Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B009NN5F78/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I hope this info proves useful to someone.


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## Mik (Jan 18, 2020)

Hi, I know these posts are old but I have to start somewhere - so hopefully if this is useful it can be shared beyond here.

I've had this condition most of my life though it was only diagnosed about 8 years ago. It happens rarely and randomly and at its worse it's appalling. I have medication I take when it comes on which is effective - however, after years of squirming around in pain trying to find a position that lessens it I seem to have hit upon something that not only makes things bearable but actually seems to fix it!

I've done it at least 5 times now and it's worked every time, perfectly. It may only work for me but I have to share this because knowing how horrible this condition is I can't stand that there are other people out there suffering. I really hope it works for you.

As soon as you feel it coming on - or even well into it, it doesn't matter really - sit on the floor with back straight-ish. Put the soles of your feet together. Place your hands lightly on your feet and pull them in towards your groin. Your knees should be pointing outwards. It is up to you how much you pull your feet it. You should feel the tendons in your thighs stretching. Buttocks firmly on the floor. Head bowed slightly. It kind of looks like a yoga position.

Now, I mostly - if practical depending on where I am - take my trousers of or do it naked as clothing restricts your movement, though it shouldn't make much difference. Do it for as long as it takes for the pain to go. If it returns shortly afterwards, take up the position again.

For me, the position makes the pain absolutely tolerable and after a short while it goes away completely. I found this position purely by accident during an incident.

I really hope this post gets seen and works for other people. I would love to know if it does. If it is effective, it would be great if this info could be shared more widely.

I don't think I can easily attach a picture to demonstrate the position more clearly, though if anyone is lost by my description I'll happily explain more.

Good luck!


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## Marie Msb (Jun 8, 2014)

Thanks !!! 
Ill try this next time !


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