Levator syndrome is a condition that affects the levator ani muscle, which is found surrounding the rectum and the tailbone (which is known medically as the coccyx). The colorectal surgeons in the Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Beverly Hills areas will be able to reassure you that this is a common condition, and although it can be painful, it is not considered to be dangerous. However, many people will not have heard of levator syndrome before receiving their diagnosis, so read on to find out what it is and how you are able to recognize it. Even if your symptoms match, you should get the diagnosis confirmed by your local colorectal surgeon, to ensure that there is not a more serious cause for your symptoms – and there are plenty of specialists in the Los Angeles area.
Levator syndrome affects the levator ani muscle, and the condition is characterized by pain and muscle spasms, which are short, sharp contractions of the muscle that occur at random. Not every patient with levator syndrome will experience the spasms, which cause an intense pain, usually in the rectal area, approximately two inches above the anus. It may then spread out and cause more widespread pain, as the levator ani is a very large muscle. Some patients, instead, will experience a dull ache that is nearly continuous, instead of the short, sharp pains.
Levator ani syndrome and proctodynia are also used to refer to the same condition, so if your Los Angeles colorectal surgeon uses one of these terms instead, you should know that your diagnosis is exactly the same.
Levator syndrome can consist of aching, muscle spasms, or both. Not all patients will experience exactly the same combination. However, the pains in the area surrounding the rectum do indicate that levator syndrome is the condition present, especially if a bowel movement provides some relief. This is in sharp contrast to many bowel conditions, which become more painful as a result of passing stool. As your specialist will be able to explain to you, emptying the stool out of the rectum reduces the pressure in this area, and relieves the pain as a result.
Many people in Beverly Hills, Santa Monica and Los Angeles suffer from levator syndrome, and would benefit from seeing a colorectal specialist, who would be able to provide advice on how to prevent and treat the condition.
How can the Symptoms of Levator Syndrome Develop?
Levator syndrome has no clear causes, and it is not well understood. However, there are some actions that are known to aggravate the symptoms. Changing the habits that lead to this aggravation of symptoms can significantly reduce the severity, and these changes should be fairly simple to implement.
- Avoid slouching. Regardless of whether you are standing or sitting, slouching increases the pressure in the lower part of your back, and may lead to muscle spasms as a result.
- Don’t spend long periods of time sitting down. Even if you have a desk job, as many people do, it is important that you get up and move around regularly. If you are talking on the phone, for example, stand up, and relieve some of the pressure at the base of your spine.
- Regular bowel movements. This will also reduce the pressure in the rectal area and ease the pain.
Reducing the Pain of Levator Syndrome
As your colorectal surgeon will tell you, it is easier to prevent the onset of the condition, by following the advice already given here, than it is to treat it. Women are more likely to experience the pain of levator syndrome – or, at least, the majority of patients who present to a specialist in Santa Monica, Beverly Hills or Los Angeles are women. This may, however, simply indicate that men are less willing to seek treatment for the condition.
You may expect that muscle spasms in the levator ani can be prevented by using muscle relaxant medications. While these can be useful on a short term basis, they are not a cure and will not eliminate symptoms. What they do is provide temporary relief.
Treatment and Advice From a Specialist
If you are in the Los Angeles area and you are experiencing symptoms of pain that you think may be due to levator syndrome, then you should book an appointment with one of the many Los Angeles colorectal surgeons. You will then be asked for a medical history and a physical examination will be performed in order to diagnose the condition. After this, you will be able to discuss treatment options and how you would like to proceed.
You may feel like booking an appointment is a waste of time for a condition such as levator syndrome, since it is not serious. However, the pain can be severe and it is worth getting checked.
