What is Levator Syndrome and How to Identify It

If you have never heard of levator syndrome before, then you are not alone.  This is a condition that affects surprisingly large numbers of people in Los Angeles and in nearby Santa Monica and Beverly Hills, yet it is still not well known.  Many people have the symptoms of levator syndrome, but may not seek medical attention.  Levator syndrome is uncomfortable and at times extremely painful, but it is not dangerous.  However, as it can have a serious impact on the quality of life for the sufferer, it is definitely worth booking an appointment and getting it checked out.

How can I tell if I have Levator Syndrome?

The most noticeable symptom of levator syndrome is the onset of muscle spasm.  These spasms occur in the muscle known as the levator ani, which surrounds the rectum and the coccyx (which is more commonly known as the tailbone).  The pain will typically originate from a spot in the rectum, around two inches above the anus, and from there can radiate out to affect the rest of the muscle.

The muscle spasms are painful contractions which are unable to control or prevent without some kind of treatment, and they are characteristic of levator syndrome (which may also be called proctodynia or levator ani syndrome).

Another indication that you may have levator syndrome is the presence of a dull ache in this muscle, which may be present for a considerable portion of the day.  Some patients only experience the spasms, others will just have the ache, while some will suffer from both.

What can I do if I Have Levator Syndrome?

If you think that you may be suffering from levator syndrome, then you will need to get this confirmed by your local colorectal surgeon.  Los Angeles has many colorectal specialists, so getting an appointment with one should not be difficult.  Once the diagnosis has been confirmed by a specialist, you will be offered treatment and will also be given some advice on how to prevent it from recurring in the future.  This advice may also reduce the severity of your symptoms while you are waiting for the treatment to take effect.

The most common treatment for levator syndrome involves the use of ultrasound waves to massage the muscle and relieve the tension.  The levator ani muscle will then be less likely to spasm and cause pain.  The treatment will be carried out by your colorectal specialist, and it involves placing an ultrasound probe in the rectum in order to reach the muscle effectively.

If this method does not work, then the next option will be to use a small electric current to stimulate the levator ani muscle continuously for twenty or thirty minutes, which will induce fatigue.  Fatigue reduces the chances of spasm, and therefore leads to a reduction in the symptoms.

The ultrasound method needs a treatment once a week for six weeks, while the electric stimulation is carried out three times a week for two weeks.  Both are successful in treating the majority of patients who present with levator syndrome.

However, for severe cases that do not respond, it is possible to use Botox injections to paralyze the levator ani muscle and provide relief from the spasms.  It may not be as effective if the main symptom is aching.

Avoiding pressure on the levator ani muscle is also very important.  This is one of the few bowel conditions that will improve when passing stool, because emptying the rectum relieves the pressure on the muscle and reduces the risk of spasms.

What Should I do Now?

If you think that you have any of these symptoms, you should book an appointment with one of the many colorectal surgeons in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills or Santa Monica.  They will perform a physical examination in order to make an accurate diagnosis.  If the levator ani muscle and the surrounding area feel tender to the touch, then this indicates that levator syndrome has developed.  You will then be offered treatment and given some advice on how to reduce your symptoms and prevent the condition from developing again after treatment has been carried out.

Levator Syndrome Treatment in Los Angeles

The condition known as levator syndrome may also be called levator ani syndrome or proctodynia, depending on which term your colorectal surgeon prefers.  As there are so many colorectal specialists (proctologists) within Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica, it is likely that you may hear all three names for the condition, which can be confusing at times.  You may even know someone who has the same medical condition, but has been given one of the other names, as levator syndrome is common in the Los Angeles area.

Prevention Before Treatment of Levator Syndrome

As with a wide variety of other medical conditions, it is much easier to prevent the onset of levator syndrome than it is to treat it once it has developed.  Although little is known about the condition, there are several factors that are known to contribute to its onset.  These can often be due to habits that you are able to change, although you will need to remind yourself on a regular basis, at least to begin with.

Some of the ways in which you can reduce your risk of developing levator syndrome include:

• Be active.  One of the major risk factors for the condition is spending too long sitting down, as this causes an increase in the pressure being applied to the levator ani muscle.  If you have a desk job and need to spend large periods of time sitting down, then you will need to modify your habits.  For example, once an hour, you could try standing up and walking around the office.  Alternatively, stand up when you are speaking on the phone, as this will give you a chance to relieve some of the pressure on the lower part of your back.

• Avoid slouching.  Many people who develop the symptoms of levator syndrome will often slouch, regardless of whether they are standing or sitting.  This leads to the build up of pressure in the lower back and the buttock area, which is where the levator ani muscle is located.  An increase in pressure in this muscle can cause aching and muscle spasms, which consist of a sharp, sometimes severe pain.

• Ensure that bowel movements are regular.  Levator ani syndrome is one of the few conditions where the symptoms actually improve as a result of a bowel movement, and this is because emptying the stool from the rectum reduces the pressure on the levator ani muscle, leading to a reduction in the pain and severity of the muscle spasms.

Treatment of Levator Syndrome

Levator syndrome is caused by pressure on the levator ani muscle, which leads to it becoming tense and painful.  The tense muscle can lead to the onset of aching, which is likely to be a dull, continuous pain that is felt for the majority of the time.  The muscle spasms are usually felt in the area around the rectum, approximately two inches above the anus, though the pain may radiate out to surrounding areas.  In order to successfully treat levator syndrome, the tension in the muscle needs to be relieved.

Many people will assume that muscle relaxant medications will be effective at treating the symptoms of levator syndrome.  These drugs are useful for providing short term relief, perhaps if the spasms are affecting your day to day life severely.  However, they are not suitable for a long term solution as they do not remove the tension in the muscle, but mask the symptoms instead.

The treatment for levator syndrome needs to be carried out by a specialist colorectal surgeon, of which there are many in Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Beverly Hills.  It involves the use of massaging the levator ani muscle, causing it to relax.  This should be performed every week for six consecutive weeks in order to be effective.  The massage is effective for approximately half of levator syndrome patients.  The rest will be offered another form of treatment.

If massage has not successfully eliminated the muscle spasms, then another form of treatment will be required.  This treatment will be carried out by the physician, and involves a small probe being placed in the anus.  This probe uses an electric current, which stimulates the muscle for up to thirty minutes, after which it will be fatigued and unable to spasm so much.  This method of treatment will normally be performed three times a week, for two consecutive weeks.  The majority of patients treated using this method find that it is effective.

In extremely severe cases, where neither of these treatments have been effective, the use of Botox injections may prevent muscle spasms.  Botox paralyzes the levator ani muscle and relieves the pain as a result.  This will only be carried out for the most severe cases.

Seeking Advice and Treatment

If you are experiencing aching pains or muscle spasms in the area surrounding the rectum, then levator syndrome is likely to be responsible.  Booking an appointment with your local colorectal surgeon is the first step towards relieving your symptoms, and there are many specialists to choose from in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas.  All you have to do is choose one.

What is Levator Syndrome and What Causes Levator Syndrome?

Most people have never heard of levator syndrome, let alone know what it is and how to recognize it, but it is something that a colorectal surgeon will see regularly.  If you are at all concerned about symptoms you are experiencing, then there are many colorectal specialists within the Los Angeles area, including the nearby Beverly Hills and Santa Monica.  If you are suffering from pain or other symptoms, then levator syndrome may be the cause – read on to find out more.

Levator Syndrome – What causes It?

Levator syndrome is also known by the names levator ani syndrome and proctodynia, so if your Los Angeles specialist has used one of these terms to describe your condition, don’t worry – they all mean the same thing.  The condition develops when the levator ani muscle spasms, or contracts sharply and rapidly for no apparent reason.  This muscle is located in the lower part of the pelvis, and it surrounds both the coccyx (commonly known as the tailbone) and the rectum.  The muscle spasms, which can be intensely painful at times, will usually be felt just above the anus, in the region known as the rectum.

As your surgeon will be able to confirm, many people in Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and Los Angeles suffer from the symptoms of levator syndrome; it is a relatively common condition.  However, the causes are not well understood, and we do not yet know why the muscle spasms develop in some people but not in others.

While it is highly unlikely that an exact cause for your levator syndrome symptoms will be found, there are a number of things that are known to aggravate the condition and lead to more intense pain.  Spending a considerable portion of the day sitting down can lead to an increase in pressure around the rectal area, which will often cause a dull, aching sensation at first.  Sometimes, the pain may not be noticeable until you move, especially if you have been sitting for a long period of time, which may lead to temporary numbness and loss of sensation.  Upon moving around, this sensation will return to normal, and the pain may be felt.

Other potential causes of the pain can include:

• Poor posture, particularly if you tend to slouch, regardless of whether you are sitting or standing at the time.
• High levels of stress can also be a factor, although it is not understood how this actually plays a role in the condition.

Some people will find that they experience a dull aching of the muscles in the rectal area, which may be persistent, and present almost constantly.  Others, however, will experience a short, sharp pain instead.

How will Levator Syndrome Affect Me?

If your Beverly Hills, Santa Monica or Los Angeles-based colorectal specialist has diagnosed you with levator syndrome, then there are some steps you will need to take in order to reduce your symptoms and prevent the onset of the pain.

Firstly, though, you will need to get a definitive diagnosis.  This can be done by your local colorectal surgeon, who will speak to you about your symptoms, take a medical history and perform a physical examination.  The presence of the aches and sharp pains are both highly suggestive of levator syndrome, especially if the pain is relieved when you have a bowel movement.  This is because emptying the bowel will relieve some of the pressure in the area, enabling the muscle that is responsible (the levator ani muscle) to relax slightly.  The muscle will feel tender when examined, which is also highly suggestive of the condition.

Once you have a diagnosis, you will be able to make some changes that will hopefully reduce your symptoms.  Try to spend less time sitting down.  If you have a desk job and need to be seated for the majority of the day, then make sure you get up at regular intervals and move around, even if you just walk round the office and then return to your seat.  Check your posture too.  Your doctor should be able to give you some advice on how to sit so that you are not putting as much pressure on the area.  If you need to support your lower back with a cushion or padding to hold you in the right position, then do this.

Can Levator Syndrome be Treated?

As with many conditions, levator syndrome is easier to prevent than to treat.  However, treatments are available, and whether you have chosen a colorectal surgeon in Santa Monica, Beverly Hills or the city of Los Angeles itself, you will be able to discuss your treatment options and decide how you want to proceed.

You may be thinking that muscle relaxant medications would be a good option, but unfortunately they have very little effect on the levator ani muscle.  While they may sometimes be useful for relieving pain on a temporary basis, they are not effective as a long term solution.  Instead, massage is used to relax the muscle and relieve the tension that is present.  This needs to be done by your doctor.  This treatment should be carried out once a week for several weeks in order to be effective, and this treatment program will cure approximately half of all patients.  Further treatment options are available if this is unsuccessful.

Seeking Further Advice and Treatment

If you are in Los Angeles or the surrounding areas, and think you may be suffering from the symptoms of levator syndrome, then you should book an appointment with your local colorectal surgeon.  This will mean that your diagnosis can be made, and you will be able to proceed with treatment, relieving your symptoms.  However, booking the appointment is the first step, and you need to select your surgeon before you are able to do this.

Relieve Levator Syndrome Symptoms: Muscle Spasms

Levator syndrome is a common condition affecting many people in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas of Beverly Hills and Santa Monica.  It is a painful but not life-threatening condition that nevertheless may have a significant impact on the quality of life of the symptomatic patient if left untreated.  Therefore, if you are experiencing any symptoms of this condition, it would be extremely advisable to book an appointment with your local colorectal specialist.  There are many colorectal surgeons in the Los Angeles area, who will be able to perform an examination and give you an accurate diagnosis.

How to Recognize the Symptoms of Levator Syndrome?

Levator syndrome has some characteristic symptoms that distinguish it from many other colorectal conditions.  The primary symptom is muscle spasm, which  usually originates from  the pelvic floor muscles which involve the anal sphincter muscles.  These muscle spasms will cause pain directly in this area, but may also radiate out to surrounding areas.  The muscle spasms are rapid contractions of the muscles that are uncontrolled leading to pain in the rectal and anal areas.

The other recognizable symptom of levator syndrome is the dull, continuous ache that occurs in the same region of the body.  The ache and muscle spasms do not necessarily occur at the same time, and some patients may only experience one of them.  Others will experience both, or they may alternate at times.  The symptoms of levator syndrome can vary, but pain will be the predominant sign that you are suffering from levator syndrome.

What can Relieve the Symptoms of Levator Syndrome?

Muscle spasms develop when there is too much pressure on an area of the muscle, and it becomes tight and filled with tension.  It then contracts sharply, which is usually associated with pain, sometimes severely so.  There are a number of ways in which you can reduce the pressure on  the levator ani muscle.  These will need to be performed on a regular basis in order to have a significant effect on the symptoms.

• Don’t spend too long sitting still.  Being seated for too long leads to pressure in the levator ani muscle, which will make spasms more likely to occur.  Try to get up and move on a regular basis, which will help to relieve the pressure and reduce the pain that you are experiencing. 
• If you do have a job that requires you to spend long periods of time seated, then make sure you are in a position that reduces the pressure as much as possible.  Use cushions or padding to hold your lower back in a better position if you need to do this.    
• Stand or sit up straighter, rather than slouching. Slouching is one of the main ways in which pressure is applied to the levator ani muscle, and it will make your symptoms much more severe. 
  

Can the Muscle Spasms be Treated?

As you will discover when you book your appointment with a Los Angeles colorectal surgeon, there are ways in which the condition can be treated.  For the majority of patients who are experiencing levator syndrome, the use of massage by ultrasound waves will relieve the symptoms of pain and muscle spasms.  Other treatments are also available if your case is more severe and the standard treatment is not effective.

Muscle relaxant drugs are only recommended for the short term, temporary relief of pain, and will not be effective on a long term basis.  This is because they do not eliminate the tension from the muscle, but instead simply mask the most severe effects and provide some pain relief.

Booking an Appointment for Further Advice

Choosing a colorectal surgeon from the many within the Los Angeles area is your first step, and once you have done this, all you have to do is book your initial appointment.  Seeing a specialist means that you can get a definitive diagnosis for your condition, along with information about the treatments that are available to you, and advice on any lifestyle changes that you may need to make.  If your levator syndrome treatment is successful, then you will need to take steps to ensure that it does not recur again in the future.

Recognize the Symptoms of Levator Syndrome?

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.

What are the Symptoms of Levator Syndrome?

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.

Basics of a Colonoscopy Procedure

A colonoscopy procedure is performed by a gastroenterologist for the purpose of examining the colon, or extracting sample cells to be tested for malignancy.

 

It is an outpatient procedure, which means the patient need not be confined in the hospital, and will simply be spending a few minutes in the clinic while the physician performs the procedure. There are important preparations that have to be made for a colonoscopy, one of which is ensuring that nothing is taken by mouth by the patient, whether solids or liquids, at least 24 hours before the procedure.

 

 Another preparation is for the patient to take laxatives in scheduled doses, as a way of cleansing the intestines of fecal matter. It is crucial that these guidelines are observed, otherwise, the gastroenterologist may not be able to get a full and clear view of the colon which is to be examined. Hence, accuracy of the results can be significantly compromised.

Down to the Basics of Beverly Hills Hemorrhoid Problems

Beverly Hills hemorrhoid issues could very well be managed with just a few food habit changes, particularly the addition of more dietary fiber into one's daily intake. The stool-softening effect of fiber is known to make hemorrhoids much easier to handle, if not prevent or eliminate altogether.

Yet another thing that makes this condition worse, especially when the hemorrhoids are protruding out of the anus, is the pain that can be anywhere from tolerable to extreme. When hemorrhoids remain inside the rectal canal, they can be harmless.

But when they start protruding, usually when a person tries to pass hard stool, they can hurt excruciatingly. In a case like this, a person needs to seek alleviating measures, but just any convenient drug should be taken as this can cause adverse effects with specific conditions such as hyperthyroidism. It is thus essential that one seek the advice of a doctor when trying to handle hemorrhoids.