Overview

Proctitis is an inflammation of the rectum, which may be either acute or chronic. It is a special case of the broader category of inflammatory bowel disease, and is treated in a similar manner. Although in some cases successful treatment may suggest underlying mechanisms, in many cases the exact causative mechanism remains controversial.

Please see conventional, complementary, and alternative medical treatments for important background information regarding the different types of medical treatments discussed on this page. Naturopathic, Complementary, and Alternative treatments that may be considered include:

Signs and Symptoms

  • Left-sided abdominal pain.
  • Anal or rectal pain.
  • Rectal bleeding.
  • Blood in stool.
  • Mucus in stool.
  • Constipation.
  • Feeling of rectal fullness.

Etiology

  •  >   
    Dysbiosis .
  •  >   
    Hemorrhoid .
  •  >   
    Anal fistula .
  •  >   
    Anal fissure .
  • Parasites.
  • Foods: spices, hot sauce, tomato, dairy, chocolate, beverages.
  • Sexually transmitted diseases.
  • Mechanical injury.
  • Abnormal nerve supply to the area.
  • Iatrogenic (radiation treatment or surgery).

Diagnosis

Symptoms may suggest endoscopy studies, perhaps with biopsy of inflamed areas.

Differential Diagnosis

Treatment

Conventional treatment consists of symptom relief through the use of immune suppressing drugs that reduce inflammation, such as methotrexate, azathioprine, mercaptopurine, sulfasalazine, or 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA, Mesalazine).

Corticosteroid suppositories or systemic corticosteroids may also be used to reduce inflammation.

Sequelae

Although the symptoms of proctitis may impact the quality of life, the disease is rarely fatal. However, inflammation does increase the risk of neoplastic changes (cancers).

References