Proctalgia Fugax
Posted , 123 users are following.
I have had this problem since my late teens or early 20's. As I get older (now 56) this pain is coming much more frequently.
The pain generally comes when I am sitting or in bed, which is fortunate since the pain is so severe it is very difficult to do anything until the pain subsides. Each episode lasts 5 minutes or so (never actually timed them)
Since my early 20's I have brought this up to my Dr. and have been fully dismissed. Over the alst 10 years or so I never bother mentioning it when I change Dr's because I have not expected an identification.
While watching the Dr. Oz show on TV this morning this was brought up during a question period. This was the first time I heard of others having this and an identifying name for it. I now am able to do research on the internet and decide on further action.
7 likes, 261 replies
Kurt_Karlsson
Edited
Post date: Mon Dec 28, 2009 9:33 pm
Post subject: My relief from Proctalgia
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On my last post dated, Nov.19 2009, I forgot to mention something else that eases the pain away. I learned in the
Canadian Army that if you have pain, especially leg cramps,( but any
other pain also ), there is a way to ease it away.
Pinch the portion of the skin ( between the nose and top of the lip, tight ),
Sounds wierd, but it works, it has something to do with the nerves in that area.
So last night when I had another attack of \"Proctalgia\", I used the
\"Noxema Cream\" and pinched under my nose, hard.....pain was gone
in 3 min. It seems it just stops the progression of pain from compleating
it's cycle.
Try pinching that area for any pain and see if it works for you. Let me know if it helps..........If it works, why suffer, won't hurt to try.
FlightRisk Kurt_Karlsson
Edited
Kurt, you are my hero. I've had this for 30 years and sitting in a hot bath has been my only remedy. I've had 3 episodes start in the last couple weeks and the nose pinch has worked every time.
nomi12031 FlightRisk
Posted
wow, I'll try it next time I suffer.
jiffa1978 Kurt_Karlsson
Posted
I have suffered fisures and PF for 10 years. At the start of a PF episode last night I tried applying pressure to the pressure point just below the nose and above the lip. I had relief within 5 minutes. This usually lasts at least an hour! Thank you! The same pressure point is often used to lessen urinary urgency so it's interesting that it has 2 benefits now 🙂
mikeolathome
Posted
philliypips
Edited
pain unbearable at times and can last about 20/30 mins.
i used to try and go to the loo due to the overwhelming sensation, but if possible i don't recommend this, i think it intensifies the pain. i find it hard to lie down though, i tend to walk about slowly, crouch, lie , get up again.
i'm pretty fit and eat as well as i can.
just one of those things, i can live with it. just pray it never gets more frequent. i maybe get it 10 times a year max. defo not something i look forward to. but hey, it makes us stronger right? if we can bear this we can bare anything :p
Anxiousemu philliypips
Posted
Hey, I'm 17 and I've had this for about a year now. Unfortunately however I seem to experience this more often then I should. The pain comes every few days and I can't get to sleep because of it. The GP prescribed me cream.
tina49138 Anxiousemu
Posted
cory31975 Anxiousemu
Posted
Good luck anxiousemu. Welcome to living hell. And gp's have no clue about this nightmare. It's so rare.
Guest cory31975
Edited
Has anybody else tried the pinch method? (Pinch just above the upper lip really really hard!) It cures my attack instantly, every time, and the attack doesn't come back after I stop pinching. It's seriously been a miracle cure for me, FREEDOM!
I'd like to hear if this works for others!
cory31975 Guest
Posted
Wendy, I've had this since I was 13. I'm 42 now. My episodes come every 6 weeks in the middle of the night for 2 hrs of the most extreme pain to where it knocks me unconscious. Nothing has ever worked. My last 2 episodes I did the "pinch above the lip", & w/I 30 seconds my episode was completely gone. So you are right. This sight was a godsend for me because I finally found freedom. Thank God for the person who referred the pinch method on this site.
arika87754 philliypips
Posted
My episodes are very similar to yours. I've had this problem for 10 years, I am a healthy 32 year o
arika87754 philliypips
Posted
alandra88761 Anxiousemu
Edited
What works for me is taking a magnesium supplement. Haven't had any episodes since I started doing that. As soon as I try to go off, they come back. It's what works for me lately. I would get a attacks 3 or 4 times a year and then the last 3 years started getting them a lot. Sometimes twice a day and at work instead of just at night. Also started having leg cramps. Decided to try magnesium as I knew it would stop the cramping in my legs and it worked for the PF as well. Worth a shot anyway. Nothing to lose if it doesn't work.
peter89892 philliypips
Edited
I have suffered with this since my early teens (am now mid forties). Over the years I have tried many different this (pain killers, baths, massage, applying pressure on area, etc..) , but the one thing that works 95% of the time is to go for a walk. For me it helps relax things down there and as I walk I feel the pain subside gradually. It can take 20-30 mins sometimes, but I generally start to feel the benefit after a few minutes.
As to what causes the pain - I have tried all kinds of elimination with foods. I thought it was too much gluten, but that proved incorrect. Not enough water, but that wasn't the case either. I could never get a clear pattern. These days, I think it is just one of these things, or maybe stress related. Or something unique with how our bodies break down/process food. More studies are needed.
Hope this helps.