Is it my prostate that's sore after intercourse?

About 15 minutes after intercourse I get a sharp pain and burning in my rectum that goes away within another 15 minutes. It happens very infrequently.

I sometimes have the same symptoms when riding my bicycle. Is that a spasm of the rectum or prostate?

A: Dr. Dean: The prostate is surrounded by muscles and they can contract too tightly, reducing the flow of blood, causing cramping and pain. And of course, pain in the prostate can easily be felt in the rectum, because as you know from researching the self-exam on my Web site, the prostate and the rectum are next to each other.

It's impossible for me to know the exact source, but the pain during bike riding is a helpful clue. Bike seats can affect the nerves and the prostate. Check out the Web site for specially-designed bike seats that avoid these problems.

Many men report this kind of elusive discomfort or pain. Spasm in the rectal area is a very real phenomenon that physicians can treat, so check into it.

Dean Edell, M.D.