“36-year-old white male complains of episodic pain in the rectum over the past several years. The pain occurs every 3–6 weeks and is sharp, cramp-like, and severe. It lasts from 1 to 15 minutes. He has no other gastrointestinal complaints. A physical examination, including a digital rectal examination and anoscopy, is normal. The most likely diagnosis is Proctalgia Fugax.
-Symptoms occur in 13%–19% of the general population.
These consist of episodic, sudden, sharp pains in the anorectal area lasting several seconds to minutes. The diagnosis is based on a history that fits the classic picture in a patient with a normal examination. All the other diagnoses listed would be evident from the physical examination, except for sacral nerve neuralgia, which would not be intermittent for years and the pain would not be transitory.” ABFM