Pain in rectum during a UC flare

Hi . I can't personally speak to this issue, but I know plenty of people here experience rectal pain during flares. I do want to ask if anyone has ever mentioned the possibility of a fistula? These are know to potentially cause significant rectal pain and this article from our editorial team discusses the different types: https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/symptoms/complications/fistula. Of course, there are potential other causes for the pain, such as the diarrhea or hemorrhoids. Hopefully others will chime in with their thoughts and experiences. Best, Richard (Team Member)

Hi, ! Yes, I can vouch for both the pain and the information that offered. Many times, a UC flare will ignite my lovely hemorrhoid that occurred during pregnancy. I will say that hemorrhoid cream and/or wipes help tremendously with that issue. But sometimes pain comes from just the bowel movement itself. I've had times when I had to curl up in a tight ball after going to the bathroom, waiting until the pain subsided. This is when I usually clinch my bottom tight to help ease the pain. Or, doing deep breathing helps me relax. When this pain hits, I kind of wonder if it's because of more inflammation in that lower region. Or it might also come from just the anxiety that accompanies the flares. Anyway, I'm obviously not a doctor, so I don't know why the body does what it does when IBD is raging within. I do know that, eventually, my pain will subside. But every body is different. So the source of your pain might be different from mine. As for a physician's opinion, I do stick to the colonoscopy schedule that my GI advises; therefore, I'm getting checked regularly every two years. Have you had a colonoscopy recently? If not, you might want to schedule it just so your health team can see if any other issues might be causing the pain. For today, I hope your pain is kept in check. Best wishes--Traci, UC-IBD Team Member

Since my diagnosis in 1975 I have had frequent bouts of pain in the Sigmoid & rectum. My recommendations include sitting on an ice pack, being really careful of cleansing the area; I use an unscented baby lotion or if you can soak with a Sits bath or bathtub. Even so, I experience severe pain. I have slept laying on ice pack. Inflammation there is really brutal.