Levator ani syndrome is a type of nonrelaxing pelvic floor dysfunction. That means the pelvic floor muscles are too tight. The pelvic floor supports the rectum, bladder, and urethra. In women, it also supports the uterus and vagina.
Levator ani syndrome is more common in women. Its main symptom is constant or frequent dull pain in the rectum caused from a spasm in the levator ani muscle, which is near the anus. Levator ani syndrome has many other names, including:
chronic anorectal pain
chronic proctalgia
levator spasm
pelvic tension myalgia
piriformis syndrome
puborectalis syndrome