Proctitis

[Jessica]

Proctitis is inflammation of the lining of the rectum (rectal mucosa).

The inflammation has many causes ranging from infection to radiation therapy.
Depending on its cause, proctitis can be painless or very painful.
A doctor makes the diagnosis after examining the inside of the rectum.
Antibiotics can be used to treat proctitis caused by an infection.
Corticosteroids can be applied to the affected area or sometimes taken by mouth to treat proctitis caused by radiation therapy.

The rectum is the section of the digestive tract above the anus where stool is held before it passes out of the body through the anus. (See also Overview of the Anus and Rectum.)
Proctitis, which is becoming increasingly common, has several causes. It may result from Crohn disease or ulcerative colitis. It can also result from a sexually transmitted disease (such as gonorrhea, syphilis, Chlamydia trachomatis infection, or herpes simplex virus infection), especially among men who have sex with men.
A person whose immune system is impaired is also at increased risk of developing proctitis, particularly from infections by herpes simplex virus or cytomegalovirus.
Proctitis may also be caused by some bacteria not transmitted sexually, such as Salmonella, or by the use of an antibiotic that destroys normal intestinal bacteria, thus allowing other bacteria to grow in their place (Clostridium difficile—see Clostridium difficile-Induced Colitis).
Another cause of proctitis is radiation therapy directed at or near the rectum, which is commonly used to treat prostate and rectal cancer.

[Luis Fok]

Inflammation of the rectum and anus.