An NHS GP has gone viral on TikTok after revealing the cause of a mysterious ‘shooty bum pain’.
The medical professional, who goes by Doctor Sooj on social media, shared a video that racked up 585,000 views.
In the clip, Doctor Sooj, 32, from Hertfordshire, says: “Have you ever experienced a lightning bolt to your poop pipe?
“It can feel like you’re being stabbed with a hot knife.
“If so, you could have proctalgia fugax – this is translated to a fleeting anal pain, even though some episodes can last up to 20 minutes.
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“It’s thought to be caused by spasms of the anal muscles and there are usually no symptoms in between episodes.
“It can be caused by stress, sex, constipation and endometriosis.
“Although for some people, proctalgia fugax can happen without triggers.
“Unfortunately there’s no cure, but some medicines can help to increase the blood flow and relax the sphincters.
“Warm baths and exercises to help stretch the pelvic floor muscles can also help.”
The clip, which garnered thousands of likes and comments, resonated with viewers, many of whom have suffered from the mysterious pain.
One user said: “Shooty bum stops you in your tracks.”
“Shooty bum pain feels like, ‘Oh my god I’m gonna die… actually, it’s gone’,” said another viewer.
Someone else commented: “So painful. Takes your breath away.”
“Feels like falling on a spiked fence,” another person agreed.
Another viewer said: “It always happens in the middle of the night to me for some reason. The pain is horrendous.”
“I have these and they are horrific… only happens periodically but lord it’s painful,” another user shared.
Someone else added: “I have blackouts.”
“Mate there’s nothing worse than this,” said another sufferer.
“Oh I thought I was dying,” another viewer added.
“Proctalgia fugax is caused by cramping and spasms of the anal muscles and sphincters,” Doctor Sooj told What’s The Jam.
“It can be caused by many conditions, including piles (haemorrhoids), anal fissures, constipation, IBS, and even infections and inflammation of the bowels.
“It can be more common during periods due to the release of prostaglandins that help to shed the uterine lining.
“These chemicals can cause sharp contractions of muscles which can be really painful.”
Doctor Sooj previously made headlines after warning men on why it is so important to properly wash their genitals.
He said that, without good hygiene, they could get balanitis – when the head of the penis is swollen and sore, and can cause pain when peeing, a thick discharge under the foreskin, bleeding around the foreskin, and an unpleasant smell.
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