Andreas: anal/rectum sensations

Dear Andreas:

For the last two weeks, I've been experiencing odd anal and rectal sensations that I'm very concerned about. It starts off as a tingle in my anal area then throughout the day, often progresses to a feeling of a lump on the left side of my rectum and a periodic feeling of rectal fullness. It is not painful, just uncomfortable. It gets worse over the day after sitting. It often feels like I have a ball sitting just inside my rectum that is pushing against the sides or bottom. Sometimes, I also feel like a "crawling" on the skin around my anus, as well as a feeling of moisture. It always feels better after lying down/sleeping, then progressively gets worse throughout the day. Sometimes it lasts for hours, other times minutes. Sometimes I just tingle on and off throughout the day, other times I get tingles and feeling of the ball, or just the feeling of the ball/fullness.

I experienced this same thing about 9 months ago, it lasted about 5 weeks then disappeared. My doc said internal hemorrhoid, but I am not convinced.

Another strange symptom that seems to accompany this is a feeling of tingling and burning across my buttocks, down legs and into feet. For the last three days, the top of my left foot has been slightly numb. I have NO idea if this is related, but it seems to be, because of the tingling around my anal area.

My bowel movements have not changed. They are once a day, in the morning. No pain associated with them, no problem getting them to come out. I also do not notice anything poking out of my rectum after I have a bowel movement, and sometimes when I feel like the lump is really bad I will look but see nothing. No signs of bleeding, no other feelings of not being well.

I have been reading a lot about polyps, enlarged papillae, etc. and my symptoms seem related. But I can't find anything related to anal tingling except for pinched nerves. But the tingling and feeling of a lump in my rectum always go hand in hand. Tingling comes first, then it seems like over a period of a few days, the feeling of the lump begins. I don't ever feel like there is a lump without also experiencing the tingling at some point and vice versa.

I have an appt. on Tuesday w/ my regular doctor and don't want to be dismissed! What can I ask or have them check for? I figure I need to see a specialist which is fine, but do you have any insight into what this might be? I am a 31 yr old female in otherwise healthy condition, with no known history of colon cancer in the family.

Thank you so much. P.S., I am scared, so please be gentle! Tweet