Rectal pain pressure

Hi all I would really appreciate your thoughts/experience. Since mid December I have been feeling a pressure like feeling in back passage area along with straining when I pass stools. There is intermittent mild pain almost like a pulsating pain. I have had streaks of bright red blood on toilet paper a couple of times but no bleeding from rectum or mixed in with poo. I Constantly feel as though I haven’t full evacuated and like something is stuck there. I have had bouts of diarrhoea in between but they usually only last for a few hours or at most a day. What is concerning me is that my stools are thinner not pencil thin or ribbon like but definitely narrower. I have suffered from bowel issues for Years especially constipation but GP always put it down to IBS and advised to drink more water and increase fiber intake. My GP doesn’t take me at seriously and puts my symptoms down to stress/anxiety So earlier this month I self referred to a colorectal surgeon whom I saw a couple of weeks ago. He said that although my symptoms are “vague” he is concerned about the pressure I’m experiencing. so I will be having MRI and scope but on NHS as I cannot afford private investigations. When I asked him if I should be worried he said at present time it’s impossible for him to say. I am stressing myself out as I work in cancer services and so am convincing myself it’s either anal or rectal cancer! I suffer from anxiety and in particular health anxiety I know google doesn’t help but only thing To explain my symptoms is the big C word...I’m due to start a new job in 2 weeks timing couldn’t be worse. All thoughts and advice welcome.

  • So glad I found these posts as I have a similar problem for the past 2 weeks and am so worried , mine started after exercising for a few days and I then had a sensation of a dull ache in my rectum area so I gave exercise a rest for 4 days and then did a 30 minute workout on the Sunday and since then it seems to have got worse as I have a constant feeling of pressure in my rectum which is made worse when I am sitting so being at work sat at a desk all day isn't helping , but I also have pain in both of my buttocks right into the bone area which when I massage the area eases it at the time . For the last 2 mornings when I wake and am lying in bed I feel like I need to go for a poo which is so odd so I then go within 5 mins of getting up but for the past few days I have been going twice a day which is not normal for me as I have always suffered with years of constipation and being bloated , I had very loose stools this morning when I had to go for the 2nd time, there is no blood thankfully but just this feeling of pressure and pain is getting me down and I am starting to worry in case it's something serious, I haven't been able to get an appointment to see my gp either yet as the surgery never has any appointments available so am going to try next week when I am not working and can be more flexible with days/times.  After looking online people suggest having  sitz baths with Epsom salts so I am going to try this for the next few days whilst waiting to see a dr and see if it helps . I have never had anything that feels so uncomfortable and it's just there all day long there is no break from if but sitting down definitely makes it feel worse.

  • Does it go away when you are asleep? Does it feel the same every day? It sounds muscular to me. Does it ease off for a moment when you poo or fart? 

  • Once I get to sleep I am ok but when I woke for the past 2 mornings I have felt the pressure of needing to go for a poo which is very weird. Yes it feels the same every day but for the last 2 days I have had a. cramp  like pain in the bottom of my stomach almost like a period cramp it's all so odd.  I do have lots of wind and when I fart it feels better, it feels a little better after doing a poo .  But today the pain in the buttocks is worse as I was sat down at work on Wednesday for 5 hours and for 9hrs yesterday and today another 9 hours, as I am sat here I can feel an ache in the bottom of my stomach just like a cramp that comes and goes .  A friend said could be piriformis syndrome but I have no pain in hip or leg area and I can't see how this would cause rectum discomfort , but it is odd this  has only happened following a bout of exercise , I used to exercise weekly with no issues but then hadn't done any prior for 5-6 weeks until the last time and then this happened . Now I don't know if I can continue to exercise as last time I did was 5 days ago

  • Well it always comes on with me when I think about it. It's like a psychological tension thing. Are you an anxious person? 

  • Google levator ani syndrome 

  • Also if you press lightly on your *** does it feel easier? 

  • No I am not particularly 

  • Yes it does and also if I press next to my anus where the pressure pain is that feels better as well when I press it in, so odd

  • I think you are very tense in the pelvis. Do you suffer from obstructive defecation? 

  • Yes I had googled that thanks and read up on it  and it seemed to describe the same type of symptoms I have but just not sure how to fix it , and if it's now starting to appear when I am in bed  I don't understand why or how I can feel I need a poo the moment I wake up that's why it worries me.  I do remember having a pain like this years ago but it was not as severe or didnt last as long but I think I recall it was from using a vibrapower machine where you sit on it to tone your bum muscles