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Chronic anal pain: A review of causes, diagnosis, and treatment
Charles H Knowles1, Richard C Cohen2
1Consultant Colorectal Surgeon, Cleveland Clinic London, UK; Professor of Surgery, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK; Professor of Experimental Therapeutics, University College London; Hon. Consultant Colorectal Surgeon, St Marks Hospital, London, UK; Hon. Professor of Colorectal Surgery, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium c.h.knowles@qmul.ac.uk.
Abstract:
Chronic anal pain is difficult to diagnose and treat, especially with no obvious anorectal cause apparent on clinical examination. This review identifies 3 main diagnostic categories for chronic anal pain: local causes, functional anorectal pain, and neuropathic pain syndromes. Conditions covered within these categories include proctalgia fugax, levator ani syndrome, pudendal neuralgia, and coccygodynia. The signs, symptoms, relevant diagnostic tests, and main treatments for each condition are reviewed.
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