If you have ever been jolted awake by a sharp, stabbing pain in your rectum that disappeared just as suddenly as it arrived, ...

Rectal pain is common and has many possible causes, including hemorrhoids, fecal impaction, inflammatory bowel disease, and proctitis (inflammation of the rectum’s lining). Most cases are not serious, ...

Jay N. Yepuri, MD, MS, FACG, is a board-certified gastroenterologist and member of the Digestive Health Associates of Texas Board of Directors and Executive Committee. Proctalgia fugax causes short ...

A rectal ulcer happens when one or more of the mucus layers that line the rectum are injured or damaged, resulting in a painful sore. Your rectum is the last few inches of your large intestine (colon) ...

Blood in your stool may be due to a number of factors, such as straining to poop, anal fissures, and hemorrhoids. Treatment depends on the specific cause of your constipation and bleeding. Many people ...

Women's Health may earn commission from the links on this page, but we only feature products we believe in. Why Trust Us? You’ve got your intestines—both small and large—as well as your ureters, the ...

Typically, a person cannot identify anal cancer by sight. However, in some cases, small, hard lumps may develop just inside and outside the anus, so it may be beneficial to learn about what anal ...

A previously healthy 39-year-old man presented to the emergency department with severe rectal pain and 3 days of constipation after ingesting large quantities of raw pumpkin seeds with intact shells ...

Deaths from rectal cancer are accelerating among people in their 30s and 40s at a clip that’s alarming researchers. Learn the red flags. Among millennials, the rectal cancer death rate is accelerating ...