Levator ani syndrome in adults

Rao, 2009 Chiarioni, 2010 Rao, 2016 Carrington, 2020

Levator ani syndrome is characterised by a chronic or recurrent dull ache in the rectal area that lasts more than 30 minutes, occurring over at least 3 months. It is associated with pain on examination of the levator ani muscles, in the absence of other causes of rectal painRome Foundation Inc., 2016. It is commonly seen in patients with dyssynergia and is thought to indicate pelvic muscle tension or spasm.

The diagnosis of levator ani syndrome is usually based on the symptoms and physical examination findings (ie tenderness or spasm of levator ani muscles on palpation).

Data to guide treatment of levator ani syndrome are limited, but biofeedback has been shown to be superior to electrogalvanic stimulation and levator ani massage. Injection of botulinum toxin into the levator ani muscles was not found to be superior to placebo.