Kate Hackett
If you’ve ever had a “bootyhole cramp” (a very nonscientific term for the severe cramping inside the anus during menstruation), you know just how awful the whole (pun intended) thing can be.
Cramping is a pretty common thing during your period, but many women don’t openly admit to this particular body location experiencing issues.
Of course, that was before it went viral on TikTok. Good ol’ TikTok.
One commenter on the video above wrote, “The fact I thought it was a me problem…. thank u TikTok.” And another wrote, “EXPERIENCES I DIDN’T KNOW WERE UNIVERSAL I’M SO RELIEVED.”
And according to surgeon Dr. Karan Rajan, anal cramping is common. It’s also not something that usually needs medical assistance.
Dr. Rajan takes on the topic in a video of his own that has gone viral. He explained what happens in the body and how menstruation causes these “butthole cramps” — aka, 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 explained.
“These intense contractions can cause a muscle spasm and anal cramps.”
So, naturally, the question now is: how do we stop them?
BuzzFeed spoke with Dr. Rajan. He said:
“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.”
Dr. Rajan’s very wide audience on TikTok aims to teach viewers about assorted medical issues and phenomena.
His videos also reached a large swath of men, who obviously do not face period-related issues.
“How about guys that have butthole cramps, asking for a friend!” one user commented.
Dr. Rajan’s response?
“Proctalgia fugax can affect men too for [similar reasons], so avoiding a sedentary lifestyle is advisable.” He followed up that for men it is “important to [rule out] other causes of anal pain, like hemorrhoids, fissures, and ulcers.”
