If you have rectal or anal pain or anal or rectal spasms, it could mean a host of things. For one, it could be a sign of radiation tissue damage. This is only a possibility if you have received radiation treatments at some point in the past, especially to the pelvis or belly areas, as is the case in prostate, cervical, uterine, colon or rectal cancers. If you have not received radiation treatment and are suffering anal or rectal pain, you could have torn the skin around the anus from chronic constipation or frequent diarrhea, straining during childbirth or bowel movements, inflammatory bowel disease, localized infections, or Crohn’s disease. Regardless of the reason, you should consult a physician if you are experiencing this type of discomfort.

Painful bowel movements indicate you are experiencing pain while pooping or you have rectal or anal blood—blood in stool. If you underwent radiation therapy in the past, this could also mean you are suffering from radiation tissue damage. If you have not received radiation treatment and are suffering painful bowel movements or blood in your stool, it could be a sign of another injury or condition, like inflammatory bowel disease, localized infections, or Crohn’s disease. If you are experiencing painful bowel movements, you should consult a physician. 

Yes. Many injuries resulting from radiation treatments, including rectal or anal pain, or painful bowel movements, do not appear for months, and in some instances, years after radiation treatments. That is the reason many physicians fail to link the long-ago radiation treatments and symptoms a patient is currently experiencing.

Although radiation technology and techniques have improved drastically over the years, radiation treatment targeted to the pelvis, as is the case for prostate cancer, occasionally damages normal cells in nearby areas. These areas include the bowel (your intestines or guts) and the rectum, the end of the intestines that has an opening out of the body. Occasionally the killing of normal cells in the bowel and rectum results in painful bowel movements, or actual pain experienced in the rectum or anus.

There is significant risk of not seeing a doctor or receiving treatment for painful bowel movements, rectal or anal pain. Patients are advised to seek medical attention if pain persists (or it returns after going away), there is ongoing rectal bleeding, or if you feel a mass. If the pain you’re experiencing in your rectum or anus, or while having a bowel movement, is caused by radiation tissue damage, it is highly unlikely that the pain will subside on its own. Rather, the pain is likely to intensify. Since HBOT is anti-inflammatory, mobilizes stem cells, and causes the creation of new blood vessels (thereby bringing more blood and circulation to the injured area), it is the best treatment to help resolve damage to the rectum or anus, which may be resulting in painful bowel movements.

Yes. Rectal or anal pain, as well as painful bowel movements induced by radiation damage, is covered by insurance and government payers, like Medicare, so long as the symptoms persist at least six months after receiving radiation treatments.

If your painful bowel movements, anal or rectal pain is caused by radiation treatments, HBOT may be able to resolve it right away with a course of 20-40 HBOT sessions (results may vary). However, commercial insurance and government payers, like Medicare, will generally not cover radiation tissue damage until symptoms (including painful bowel movements, rectal and anal pain) occur or persist for six months after radiation treatment. Nevertheless, even if you experience painful bowel movements, rectal or anal pain, from radiation treatment before the six-month marker, it is still imperative if such symptoms persist to seek medical attention.

No. HBOT is a natural and generally painless procedure, where a patient simply lies back, relaxes and breathes – and let the hyperbaric chamber do the rest! Occasionally a patient will experience some pressure in his or her ears, similar to the sensation of being on an airplane. An HMS technician or medical provider, who is always monitoring the chamber, is always available to coach patients on clearing their ears.