When to Seek Medical Care
If you have any of the symptoms—especially if you have a history of high-risk sexual behavior that may lead to proctitis—you should contact your health care provider to be checked. Other minor conditions such as
hemorrhoids also can cause similar symptoms. Your doctor can tell the difference and provide the right treatment.
If you have bleeding and mucus in a bowel movement, severe pain, and diarrhea ,
seek treatment at a hospital’s emergency department. Complications such as severe bleeding and anemia need immediate medical attention.
As a result of
diarrhea, you also may be
dehydrated. Symptoms indicating severe disease include weakness, dizziness , irritability,shortness of breath,
and
headaches.
Follow-up
Follow-up is an integral part of treating proctitis. You must finish all the antibiotics given you. You should abstain from any sexual practice that may irritate the disease. Follow up with a visit
to your health care provider after 1-2 weeks to determine whether the inflammation has cleared or if you should continue therapy. At any point, if the symptoms get worse,
either contact your doctor or go to the emergency department, depending on the severity of your symptoms.
Prevention
Prevention begins with addressing the high-risk sexual behaviors that you may engage in.
Sexually safe behaviors include using protection such as the condom,
knowing your sexual partner and history, and avoiding anal intercourse.
You must use safe sex practices, such as condoms,
if you engage in high-risk sexual behaviors such as these:
- Having multiple sexual partners (or changing sexual partners)
- A previous history of any sexually transmitted disease
- Having a partner with a past history of any STD
- Having a partner with an unknown sexual history
- Using drugs or alcohol (these may increase the likelihood of unsafe sexual practices)
- Having a partner who is an IV drug user
- Bisexual or homosexual partners
- Anal intercourse (Anal sex with a condom decreases the risk of proctitis by STDs, but you can still get proctitis from anal trauma.)
- Having unprotected intercourse (sex without the use of a condom) with an unknown partner