Why Your Poop Feels Sharp: Causes & How to Fix

Key takeaways:

• Sharp pain while pooping is a common complaint.
• There are several causes and the treatments are different for each.
• Talk to your doctor if this symptom lasts longer than 48 hours.

Feeling sharp pain while pooping is a distressing symptom. There are different causes of pain while pooping and some of these conditions are persistent and frustrating to manage. It is important to know there are risk factors that make some conditions more likely than others.

Being honest with your physician as you discuss your symptoms will help them arrive at the diagnosis more quickly. It may feel unpleasant to tell your doctor about these symptoms, but they want you to feel better.

Is it normal for your poop to feel sharp?

Pooping should not be a painful or difficult experience. We may experience lower abdominal cramps or pain just before pooping. But this is different from actually feeling pain while passing the poop out. If you feel a sharp or painful sensation during pooping, this is not a normal experience.

Causes of sharp-feeling poop

Several conditions cause pain while pooping. The reasons they cause pain and their treatment are quite different. It is important to see a doctor and be examined before trying at-home remedies.

Anal fissure

An anal fissure is a tear in the skin around the anus. This tear is caused by the passing of hard stool through a sphincter with elevated pressure. The anus has two sphincter muscles that surround it. One is under voluntary control - this is the external sphincter. You can relax it to pass gas or poop. The other sphincter muscle is involuntary, we cannot control it. This is the internal sphincter.

When the internal sphincter is overtightened it stretches out the skin of the anus. This increases the risk of tearing or fissure formation. Passing hard stools requires even more pressure than usual. The combination of passing hard stool through a tight sphincter causes skin tearing.

Anal fissures are very painful for patients. Usually, symptoms are the worst during the act of pooping. Instead of pain, some patients feel burning. There may also be bleeding or itching associated with fissures.

Constipation

Constipation is the infrequent or difficult passage of stools. Stools in constipation are hard and difficult to push out. This leads to a painful experience during pooping.

Constipation has many causes and is complex to treat. You may initiate some therapies at home, including increasing dietary fiber and water intake. If you still pass hard stools, you may also need to include over-the-counter stool softeners.

Perianal abscess

A perianal abscess is a collection of infected fluid near the anus. The skin is red and tender to touch and there is often drainage of purulent, foul-smelling fluid. This can cause pain during pooping as well.

The treatment for perianal abscess is surgical drainage. There is a chance that after drainage the abscess may form into a fistula.

Hemorrhoids

A hemorrhoid is a dilated cushion of tissue near your anal opening (butthole). These cushions are drained by veins. Hemorrhoids develop due to increased pressure on the area preventing the veins from draining. Constipation, pregnancy, obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, and jobs that require sitting are all risk factors for developing hemorrhoids.

It is important to know there are two kinds of hemorrhoids. Painful and itching hemorrhoids are known as external hemorrhoids. These hemorrhoids contain nerve endings which is why they are painful. Another kind of hemorrhoid is known as an internal hemorrhoid. These do not contain nerve endings so are usually not painful. They do, however, cause bleeding during and after bowel movements.

External hemorrhoids usually cause itching and discomfort after bowel movements. If bad enough they may cause pain during pooping as well.

Proctitis

Proctitis is inflammation of the rectum, the last part of the colon. There are numerous causes of proctitis including infection, radiation, and sexually transmitted infections.

The inflammation due to proctitis often causes pain or burning during pooping. There are sometimes other symptoms. These include rectal discharge and itching.

Read our guides on different types of stool, stool colors, and healthy vs. unhealthy stool for more.

Treatment options for sharp-feeling poop

Treatment of sharp pain during pooping will depend on the cause. There are simple at-home and over-the-counter remedies that are helpful. It is important to review your symptoms with your doctor.

Avoiding constipation

Constipation makes many anorectal complaints and conditions even worse. The increased pressure required to pass hard stool leads to the worsening of hemorrhoid swelling. It also promotes skin tearing and can make anal fissures worse, or prevent them from healing. It is very important to avoid constipation.

The simplest way to combat constipation is to increase fiber and water intake in your diet. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, like brown rice or whole-grain bread, are fiber-rich. If you increase your dietary fiber, be sure to drink more water. If you don't drink enough water with the fiber, it can make the constipation worse. Sometimes fiber supplementation powders or tablets are helpful.

At times, additional medication to prevent constipation is required. Stool softeners and laxatives can be purchased over the counter. Talk with your doctor about the best options.

Over-the-counter medications

Over-the-counter hemorrhoid creams and suppositories are available. These are useful in treating the symptoms caused by external hemorrhoids. They contain medication that counteracts the inflammation and pain from hemorrhoidal swelling. However, these do not treat the cause, which is the hemorrhoid itself.

Some patients will purchase steroid cream for their symptoms. Please do this with the guidance of a doctor. Using steroids for too long (more than a week) damages the skin around the anus.

At-home remedies

A popular home-based remedy is a sitz bath. You sit in a tub of warm water, sometimes with added salt or medication. The salt or medication draws water out of swollen hemorrhoids.

This alleviates the congestion and pressure around your anus. The warm water helps the anal sphincter to relax, which helps with anal fissures.

When you should see a doctor about sharp-feeling poop

Sharp pain while pooping may go away on its own. But if symptoms continue after 48 hours, call your doctor.

You should see a doctor if:

• Your symptoms last longer than 48 hours.
• You notice blood in your stool.
• You are hesitant to use the bathroom because of the pain.

You should go to the emergency room if:

• The pain is severe enough that you cannot sit down comfortably.
• You have a fever (temperature above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit) or chills.

Questions to ask your doctor about sharp-feeling poop

• What do you think is causing this?
• How long do you expect this to last?
• Are any tests needed?
• Is there anything I can do at home?

Frequently asked questions: poop that feels sharp

It is normal to have questions about painful poop. Please be sure to ask all of your questions until you feel you understand your condition.

Why does your poop feel sharp and make you bleed?

Sharp-feeling poop and bleeding is a sign of anal fissure. The skin tearing from a fissure results in a feeling of sharp pain around the anus. These symptoms can also indicate hemorrhoids or proctitis.

Are there any ways to speed up the anal fissure healing process?

The best way to ensure your fissure heals is to avoid constipation. You also need to take any medication your doctor prescribes.

Use it for the entire length of time prescribed. If you stop when you feel better, it may not completely heal. This can result in re-tearing and worsening of your symptoms.

Final thoughts

Sharp pain while pooping is a difficult and concerning problem for patients. If it lasts longer than 48 hours, let your doctor know.

General Medicine follows a strict editorial process, including using real experts to write our articles, vetted primary sources, fact-checking, a secondary medical review, and updates as necessary. This article was medically reviewed and fact checked by Dr. Pallabi Sanyal-Dey, MD.

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