Question: What are the symptoms of proctitis?
Answer: Common symptoms of proctitis include

tenesmus, which means feeling a constant urge to have abowel movementeven though yourbowelmay be empty
an urgent need to have a bowel movement
diarrheaorconstipation
cramping and pain in youranus,rectum, or the left side of yourabdomen, which may occur during bowel movements
passing blood with yourstoolorrectal bleeding
passingmucusorpuswith your stool

If you pass blood, mucus, or pus from your rectum or have severe abdominal pain, you should see a doctor right away.
Question: What causes proctitis?
Answer: Different types of proctitis have different causes.

Common causes of proctitis

Proctitis of inflammatory bowel disease. Two types of inflammatory bowel disease—ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease—may cause proctitis.

Ulcerative colitis causesinflammationandulcersin thelarge intestine, including the rectum.
Crohn’s disease may cause inflammation and irritation of any part of thedigestive tract. When it affects the rectum, it can cause proctitis.

Infectious proctitis. Several sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) can infect the rectum and cause proctitis, including

gonorrhea
chlamydia
genital herpes
syphilis

Other infections in the rectum that can cause proctitis include

infections that causefood poisoning, such asSalmonella,Shigella, andCampylobacterinfections
Clostridioides difficile (C. diff)infection, which most often occurs while a person is takingantibioticsor shortly thereafter

Radiation proctitis or radiation proctopathy. Radiation therapy to treat cancer in your pelvic area or lower abdomen may cause radiation proctopathy. People may develop radiation proctopathy after receiving radiation therapy to treat many types of cancer, including cervical, prostate, and rectal cancer.

In radiation proctopathy, the lining of your rectum is damaged. Unlike other types of proctitis, radiation proctopathy involves little or no inflammation, and this is why experts prefer the term proctopathy instead of proctitis.

Diversion proctitis. People who don’t have their rectum removed during ostomy surgery of the bowel may develop diversion proctitis, or inflammation in the remaining rectum. Surgeons create an ostomy—or stoma—by bringing part of your intestine through your abdominal wall. After surgery, waste leaves your body through the stoma in your abdominal wall instead of passing through your rectum and anus.

Experts aren’t sure why some people develop diversion proctitis after ostomy surgery. However, the condition typically goes away after a second surgery to close the ostomy and reconnect your rectum to the rest of your intestines.

Other causes of proctitis

Other factors may cause proctitis. These include

injury to the anus or rectum
side effects of medicines, such asnonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
lack of blood flow to the rectum