Proctalgia fugax

Last revised by Rohit Sharma on 15 Aug 2018

Proctaglia fugax is a disorder characterized by rectal pain that is considered to be functional in etiology, and thus is a diagnosis of exclusion.

The classic presentation, which form the Rome IV diagnostic criteria if all present for three months, include 1,2:

  • recurrent episodes of rectal pain that occur independently to defecation

  • pain lasts for no longer than 30 minutes

  • in between episodes of pain, there is no pain

The underlying etiology of proctalgia fugax is unknown. Popular theories postulate that it may be related to psychiatric disorders, anal sphincter cramps, or pudendal nerve compression or neuralgia 2,3.

Proctalgia fugax has no radiographic features. Imaging may be performed to exclude other potential clinical differential diagnoses (e.g. pelvic inflammatory disease, inflammatory bowel disease, rectal cancer) 4.

Management, if required, is often multi-faceted, involving pharmacotherapy (e.g. antispasmodics, albuterol), psychotherapy, and even invasive therapy (e.g. pudendal nerve blocks) 2,3,5.

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