This is so scary the first time it happens. I had a colonoscopy to rule out anything serious but it didn't stop the fact that when this little creeper wakes you up in the middle of the night it just is nerve rattling anyhow!! I almost always feel as if I have to get up and have a bm or to relieve the pressure somehow but I never do have the BM but it feels better to push(gross I know) and to relieve some of that pressure. There is no rhyme or reason to it either, It can happen if i am very active all day or if I have been sitting all day, and it doesn't matter what I have eaten either. I would like to know what cause this little monster!
I can't believe I finally hae a name for something that I have suffered from for almost 40 years, since being a teenager! I have also suffered from IBS symptoms on and off during that time. Again, with me there seems to be no rhyme or reason why these spasms occur but have noticed I will often have an attack after a loose bowel movement. Again, the pain usually occurs during the night waking me from sleep, but I have also had occasional episodes during the day. I have never met anyone who has suffered similar symptoms and it is impossible to describe the pain to someone who has not experienced it! The only thing that brings relief to me, (as others have mentioned) is to sit on the loo, push down and wait for the pain to subside - no other position works for me!
I originally thought it was part of my menstrual cycle since it often accompanied it, however, there are many men with this as well so I guess it can't be the case at all.
i get this Proctalgia Fugax usually in the middle of the night after sex earlier in the evening; or after an erection that was not properly addressed :-(
Am glad to find out that this is neither uncommon nor serious. It is however very annoying.
To those who continue to have these PF episodes, you might want to try these things that work for me:
Prevention: try to fully discharge any remaining semen as you urinate after sex
Cure or Remedy: while remaining in bed, massage/stimulate scrotum and penis. pain gradually disappears within seconds after an erection
Good Luck.
Am glad to find out that this is neither uncommon nor serious. It is however very annoying.
To those who continue to have these PF episodes, you might want to try these things that work for me:
Prevention: try to fully discharge any remaining semen as you urinate after sex
Cure or Remedy: while remaining in bed, massage/stimulate scrotum and penis. pain gradually disappears within seconds after an erection
Good Luck.
Yes, they also do occur after an orgasm, occasionally, if I am lucky or maybe not so lucky if I end up getting the PFugax!!
I have experienced the pain of proctalgia fugax too many times. I have heard this helps and it did. Take a baseball or hard type ball of similar size and place it on a closed toilet seat or similar hard surface. Sit on the ball placing your anus (taint area) directly on the ball. You will or should feel sone immediate relief. It may continue again when you stand up. If that does happen sit back down and repeat until it's completely gone. Good luck!!
Hello -
I want to THANK YOU all for this website. I have been suffering from this pain since 2006. After countless doctor visits, test, needles and surgery I am finally able to figure out what is wrong with me. For years I thought my pain started in the front and went to the back. Then I thought what if the pain is actually starting in the back. Sure enough that was the case. I have gone to dark places and my quality of life has changed because of this pain. It is the worst pain ever. I am calling my doctor tomorrow with this new information.
Thank You again!
This is fantastic, I've suffered with this condition for years and never been able to put a name to it (why didn't I ever look it up before!). I'm 50 and have had it since I was in my 30s. It can strike me at any time, sometimes wakes me up at night. I've sometimes found that walking around, concentrating on relaxing, and pressing on the painful area can stop the attack from getting worse. Usually though, sitting in a tub of hot water turns it off pretty quickly.
I started suffering from PF about six years ago. Scared the heck out of me. I hate that it wakes me from a sound sleep. I'm so tired and just want to go back to sleep but have to deal with the pain. I usually sit on my foot with my heel pressing into my anal area. That helps a little. Or I kneel on the floor and bend over so my head touches the floor. Sometimes that helps. The pain usually lasts 15-20 minutes and sometimes has me in tears.
It happens during the daytime too, but not as frequently nor as intense. Although lately, it seems to happen more often during the day, like almost daily, but at a much lower pain level and mostly on the left side.
It happens during the daytime too, but not as frequently nor as intense. Although lately, it seems to happen more often during the day, like almost daily, but at a much lower pain level and mostly on the left side.
WOW.....so there is a name for this? I've mentioned this to several docs and was given no indication it had a name. It feels like I'm being penitraded with a knife, over and over and over. VERY painful, takes the wind out of me and happens VERY often.
I have been suffering from this for many years but never knew other people were too. I get my attacks during the day and usually just after a run or during a long run. It has always just been a drag to deal with but last weekend it occurred during a marathon and sidelined me for 5-10 minutes. It was excruciating pain and took my breath away as usual. I just had to wait it out and then continue running. I have never mentioned it to my doctor but I think I will now. It is definitely interfering with my quality of life.
Hi! I too have Proctalgiafugax it is a total pain in the butt! Butt having seen a leading colorectal surgeon for another mater she firstly diagnosed the pain for me (I had been suffering for over 10 years and no one knew what it was) and two prescribed a ventolin inhaler - yep the blue one that a lot of people use for asthma! It works like a dream for me in seconds! It has changed my life! I sleep with out fear of the pain from hell and keep one inhaler under my pillow and another with me at all times ... it works in seconds and I now do not take pain killers for it - well they were mostly pointless anyway as by the time they worked the pain was leaving anyways.
Hope it works for you too!
Found ref to it on wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proctalgia_fugax
In patients who suffer frequent, severe, prolonged attacks, inhaled salbutamol has been shown in some studies to reduce their duration
Hope it works for you too!
Found ref to it on wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proctalgia_fugax
In patients who suffer frequent, severe, prolonged attacks, inhaled salbutamol has been shown in some studies to reduce their duration
Wow, SO glad I joined this forum.
The information and discussion on IBS has been very informative, and I think I am going to find some relief following others suggestions.
Also incredible to find others with this bizzare affliction - who knew ?
Mine also is quite intermittent, mostly occurring at night and waking me with stabbing pains. A few daytime attacks that were miserable because there is almost nothing you can do.
I did seem to find some pattern to these though - wondering if anyone else has this same correlation. Usually I could connect having a PF attack around 12 hours or so after having hemorrhoid irritation from a prolonged bathroom episode (I have IBS D).
It got to where I could kind of predict that I might have an episode of PF that night following a painful bm in the morning.
Sometimes the hemorrhoids didn't even seem all that inflamed at the time, and I thought I was home free, but then the nighttime attack of PF almost seemed like a "delayed" reaction to the earlier irritation. The hemorrhoids seemed "puffy" and I associated the sharp pain with that condition - even though it seemed excessive - as hemorrhoid pain is usually more a dull ache.
I did find I could get relief with very warm water and some upward pressure. This was most easily accomplished by saturating a hot washcloth - folding it into a thick square and sitting on it. A very warm to almost hot mini enema also helped as it got the hot water closer to the source of the pain. This usually brought relief within minutes.
It sounds like others have found these two things also bring relief - what I am wondering though, does anyone relate it to hemorrhoid pain or does it occur without that involvement.
PS - 56 years, female, post-menopause, hemorrhoids since childbirth 29 years ago.
The information and discussion on IBS has been very informative, and I think I am going to find some relief following others suggestions.
Also incredible to find others with this bizzare affliction - who knew ?
Mine also is quite intermittent, mostly occurring at night and waking me with stabbing pains. A few daytime attacks that were miserable because there is almost nothing you can do.
I did seem to find some pattern to these though - wondering if anyone else has this same correlation. Usually I could connect having a PF attack around 12 hours or so after having hemorrhoid irritation from a prolonged bathroom episode (I have IBS D).
It got to where I could kind of predict that I might have an episode of PF that night following a painful bm in the morning.
Sometimes the hemorrhoids didn't even seem all that inflamed at the time, and I thought I was home free, but then the nighttime attack of PF almost seemed like a "delayed" reaction to the earlier irritation. The hemorrhoids seemed "puffy" and I associated the sharp pain with that condition - even though it seemed excessive - as hemorrhoid pain is usually more a dull ache.
I did find I could get relief with very warm water and some upward pressure. This was most easily accomplished by saturating a hot washcloth - folding it into a thick square and sitting on it. A very warm to almost hot mini enema also helped as it got the hot water closer to the source of the pain. This usually brought relief within minutes.
It sounds like others have found these two things also bring relief - what I am wondering though, does anyone relate it to hemorrhoid pain or does it occur without that involvement.
PS - 56 years, female, post-menopause, hemorrhoids since childbirth 29 years ago.
Post Edited (PrincessCrampy) : 3/31/2011 10:35:47 AM (GMT-6)
I don't have any hemorrhoids that I know of so I can't say that this is related to mine. I use to think it was a menstrual thing but then why do guys get it? I have had it for years and the real relief is knowing that it isn't anything serious, still a pain, but not serious.
I have these symptoms but i get them before and during my period, not while I'm sleeping. i get a shooting pulling pinching pain that stops me from moving or even breathing. it come and goes every few seconds for about a half an hour or reoccurring for as long as most of the day. Im positive theyre not cramps. this is a way different pain in my butt. do you think i can have this or does it maybe sound like something else?
I'M not diagnosed but i really think this is what i have unless it can be Pelvic Congestion Syndrome. but that mentions that is kind of chronic and due to varicose veins... and happens alot after child birth but ive never had a child...
I've had this incredibly jarring attack a number of times, averaging twice a year. This is the original "pain in the ass" that spawned the well-known term, although I had no clue what a real pain it was until my first midnight attack came about 15 years ago. This is akin to a charley horse in the anal muscle, but it also feels like (in males) acute prostatitis, because it is painful behind the bladder where the prostate gland lies.
The way I handle the pain is to first get out of bed. Somehow the lying position makes it worse, or last longer. I take an ibuprofen (200 mg) and then march in place, knees high. Don't do this in front of your wife/girlfriend; she will probably either hurt you or commit you unless she's also had the syndrome.
This pain has never come with a full rectum; it is an empty rectum spasm involving the anal sphincter muscles and the surrounding muscular connections. Thus is can come after voiding, but usually is not as severe or long-lasting if you're up and about, and can walk out the "charley horse," so to speak. But I find that marching in place helps reduce the pain and return you to almost normal, although you'll probably want to have your entire anus removed the first time this happens. But be of good cheer, this only feels like it will kill you. Most likely you will die from something else.
The way I handle the pain is to first get out of bed. Somehow the lying position makes it worse, or last longer. I take an ibuprofen (200 mg) and then march in place, knees high. Don't do this in front of your wife/girlfriend; she will probably either hurt you or commit you unless she's also had the syndrome.
This pain has never come with a full rectum; it is an empty rectum spasm involving the anal sphincter muscles and the surrounding muscular connections. Thus is can come after voiding, but usually is not as severe or long-lasting if you're up and about, and can walk out the "charley horse," so to speak. But I find that marching in place helps reduce the pain and return you to almost normal, although you'll probably want to have your entire anus removed the first time this happens. But be of good cheer, this only feels like it will kill you. Most likely you will die from something else.
Steve Steve Steve....I can just picture my husband now waking up to see me "marching in place" at 2 in the morning and his reaction being priceless!! It is worth a try however and seems way better than just lying there wishing it away for what seems like hours.
Just curious though, do you ever feel as if you need to have a BM during these attacks? That seems a bit common as well.
Just curious though, do you ever feel as if you need to have a BM during these attacks? That seems a bit common as well.
So I am not alone with this! Sorry to hear that really as I would not wish it on anyone. It is an spiteful condition and most often hits me when sleeping snuggled in bed. There have been 3 - 4 occasions when it occurred at work in the middle of a critical work meeting. I am sure I dont need to described how horrendous it was not being able to leave to seek any form of relief nor tell anyone what was happening. Pain can last for hour or more.
In addition to performing acrobatics to alleviate pain, walking around in agony and hot baths, I have recently tried a standing on a vibration machine at full pulse for 10 - 15 minutes. It certainly seemed to lessen the period of intensity. Have only tried it twice to date but will keep you all posted.
In addition to performing acrobatics to alleviate pain, walking around in agony and hot baths, I have recently tried a standing on a vibration machine at full pulse for 10 - 15 minutes. It certainly seemed to lessen the period of intensity. Have only tried it twice to date but will keep you all posted.
I just found out today on the Dr. Oz show what the name of these are called. I have been having Proctalgia fugax for about fifteen years. Dr. Oz recommended to use a tennis ball in the perineum area which helps relax the muscle and relieve the spasm. He said to sit on the tennis ball to relieve the pain. Hope it helps for everyone.