It’s safe to say that I can probably categorise you into one of three categories: someone who read the headline and was like ‘hell yeah I have’ those, another who though ‘what the heck, is that even a thing’ and a third who though ‘SO THAT’S WHAT THAT IS??’
And to all three categories I say, I know right!!
We are now more aware than ever that the side effects that come with periods are not limited to stomach cramps and mood swings – migraines, discharge and other bodily pains are just a few of the fun things women get to deal with on the monthly. And severe cramping in the anus during menstruation is absolutely one of them.
Bootyhole cramps, booty daggers, butt cramps, or whatever you choose to call them, are a very common experience for people with periods, however many don’t openly speak about this particular subject.
So how to we normalise the issue? We make it go viral on TikTok, of course.
According to general surgeon and massive TikToker Dr. Karan Rajan, anal cramping — formally known as proctalgia fugax — is common, and it’s rarely something that needs medical intervention.
In a viral video with over 1.1 million views, Dr. Rajan satiated curious minds by explaining what goes on inside the body during menstruation and how it causes proctalgia fugax:
“During a period, hormones called prostaglandins are released, which causes the muscles of the uterus to contract and the lining of the uterine to shed, and causes pain and cramps,” Dr. Rajan said.
“The prostaglandins also cause a contraction of the rectum, the pelvic floor muscles, and muscles around the anal canal,” Dr. Rajan continued. “These intense contractions can cause a muscle spasm and anal cramps.”
So…how do you stop them?
When speaking to BuzzFeed about a possible remedy, Dr. Rajan suggested: “Proctalgia fugax can sometimes be eased with warm baths, which can help reduce muscle spasms, or avoiding prolonged sitting, which can [tighten] pelvic floor muscles and muscles around the anus. Generally, stretching and movement [should] help, but thankfully it’s usually a transient issue.”
Sounds good to us.
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