Rectal Problems

To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Reference Making the Most of Your Appointment.

You can help your doctor diagnose and treat your condition by being prepared to answer the following questions:

• Is your main problem rectal pain, itching, or bleeding?
• Are your symptoms:
  • Present all the time, or do they come and go?
  • Present only with bowel movements?
  • Steady?
  • Getting worse?
• How long have you had this problem? Did it come on suddenly or gradually?
• Have you ever been treated for a similar problem? If so, what was the treatment? Did it help?
• What home treatments have you tried for your current problem? Have they helped?
• Have you had leaking of mucus or stool from your rectum?
• Have you noticed a change in the color, consistency, size, or frequency of your stool?
• Do you have a history of Reference hemorrhoids Opens New Window or rectal disease?
• Do you have a family history of Reference colon cancer Opens New Window, Reference ulcerative colitis Opens New Window, Reference inflammatory bowel disease Opens New Window, or Reference Crohn's disease Opens New Window?
• If you have had a full-term pregnancy, did you have a vaginal delivery?
• Have you ever had Reference radiation therapy Opens New Window to your pelvic area?
• Did your symptoms begin after an injury, insertion of a foreign body, anal intercourse, or a bowel movement?
• Do you think that your problem may be related to sexual activity?
• Do you engage in Reference high-risk sexual behavior, such as having unprotected sex or multiple sex partners?
• Have you ever been treated for a Reference sexually transmitted infection (STI) Opens New Window?
• Do you have other symptoms such as fatigue, unexplained weight loss, fever, or pain elsewhere in your body?
• Have you recently traveled to a foreign country?
• What prescription and nonprescription medicines do you take?
• Do you have any Reference health risks?

For rectal itching

• Is there itching or a rash present on any other part of your body?
• Are other members of your family also experiencing rectal itching?

For rectal pain

• How severe is your pain? Is it constant or does it come and go? Is it getting worse? Is it related only to having a bowel movement?
• Does the pain feel like it is coming from the inside or the outside of your anus?

For rectal bleeding

• What does the blood in your stools look like? Is the stool mixed with blood, or does the blood coat the outside of formed stools? Are there large clots of blood in the toilet water?
• Do you have bleeding from your gums, blood in your urine, large skin bruises, or a skin rash that looks like measles?
• Is your rectal bleeding painful?
• Is the blood bright red or dark purple?

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