Health & Safety Guide

Warning Signs

What are some things to keep an eye out for when you’re playing and why even worry?

Some Basics

The lining of the intestines do not have pain receptors, only those to sense pressure, and so your vigilance could save your life some day.  So when you’re feeling discomfort or even just a sensation, it’s due to pressure. Determining the level of pressure and where it’s occurring is important.

Pressure can be felt with any expanding sphincter and so it’s not always a bad thing, the key is to learn to understand the difference. This is where a knowledgeable partner can help you understand and navigate the nuances of your colon. But if you’re playing alone, knowledge and investigative, slow play can go a long way to helping you stay healthy and enjoy your play.

I used to have people not into butt play try to scare me by saying the intestine was like a wet paper towel and very delicate. I don’t hear this much any more as we all became more informed through the internet, but some of you might still be unsure of the facts. In reality, the whole of the intestinal wall is more like your cheek than anything else. Yes, it is delicate on the inside and can be scratched and bleed, but it is backed up by muscle and tissue as well. Far more robust than the wet tissue paper of urban legend. It is still more vulnerable to puncture than your cheek however, due to the many bends and lack of pain receptors.

I See Blood

The presence of blood can scare some but is not always indicative of something serious. The most important thing is to get to learn what is normal for your own body so that you can recognize when something EXTRA-ordinary happens. And please never hesitate to seek medical help if you sense something isn’t quite right – even when there is no pain.

Seeing any blood would be one reason to stop and see what’s going on.  I have heard of people who had perforated their intestine and besides some bleeding had no other immediate indication that is what they had done. Mind you, it is worth noting that all the injuries I’ve known of were of people who were under the influence of some substance.  So playing with a clear mind is already good insurance in my book.

Slightly pink lube usually indicates some ruptured capillaries or a hemorrhoid and can be common or routine for some. It doesn’t take much to turn it pink. Bright red blood is an indication of a more active injury. Although this is not a common occurrence, it is a part of play for some.

Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids can cause pain and slight bleeding to discolor your lube. If you know you have them you have probably come to expect some color every time you play. Again, this is all about knowing what is ‘normal’ for YOU so that you can be alert to changes which might mean something serious. Communicating this to your play partner is always good practice, and a good Top will always ask you if color he sees is ‘normal’ for you. If they are unfamiliar with you they may also decide to stop play entirely at this point which, remember, is always their prerogative.

Tearing and Fissures

Inserting toys without allowing your asshole to warm up and relax properly, or working way beyond what your ass is capable of stretching can cause fissures. These are small tears in the tissues surrounding your hole and can be the source of a lot of pain and can put you out of commission for weeks or months while they heal.  It takes time to work up to taking a larger toy, so always allow yourself the time and enjoy yourself while protecting your ‘ass’ets.

The Second Sphincter

I talk more in depth about the pubo-rectal sling in Physiology. But when going any deeper than about 8 or 10 inches, depending on your body, you can be pretty sure that it is involved somehow.

It is an involuntary muscle and may not be reacting like you think it might be at any given point in time. A person inside of you can feel what is going on, but with toys you must exercise caution and listen to your body. Bruising and tearing are what you must avoid here. The pubo-rectal sling is most involved in keeping you from being incontinent, so treat it gently and play with a clear head.

I have heard of people hurting themselves at this depth, and I’ve even bruised mine a few times, causing me mild soreness just behind my pelvic bone, and my bowels stopped for a few days too, like they needed healing time. But this is only my experience, and these symptoms might be indicative of a more serious problem in another.