The study included 12 patients with proctalgia (7 men and 5 women; mean age 36.3±15.1 years). All presented with anal pain, numbness and tingling of a mean duration of 19±6.3 months. The pain was abrupt, lasting from a few minutes up to one hour, sharp, intermittent, not related to defecation, aggravated by sitting, and occurs 2-3 times/week with increasing frequency. Anorectal examination was normal except pudendal canal tenderness on digital examination. There were perineal and perianal hypo- or anesthesia.