A Doctor Explains What “Lightning Bum” Really Is …and When to Be Concerned

It’s not exactly a glamorous topic, but many people have experienced it at least once: a sudden, sharp bolt of pain in the backside, often described as “lightning bum.” The sensation can be so intense that it stops you in your tracks—yet just as quickly, it disappears, leaving you wondering what on earth just happened.

While it’s tempting to brush it off and move on, a GP has explained that this uncomfortable symptom can sometimes point to an underlying health issue worth paying attention to.

What Is “Lightning Bum”?

According to Dr. Hana Patel, GP at Superdrug Online Doctor, lightning bum is best described as a “sudden, sharp, electric shock-like pain in and around the rectum.” The sensation usually lasts only a few seconds, but it can be intense enough to feel alarming.

Medically, this type of pain is often linked to spasms in the anal or pelvic floor muscles. While it can resemble a muscle cramp, it tends to be far more abrupt and severe before fading away on its own.

It’s also different from “lightning crotch,” which refers to similar shooting pains felt in the pelvis or vagina. Lightning bum pain may radiate to the tailbone, rectum, legs, or lower abdomen.

How Common Is It?

The exact number of people affected isn’t clear, largely because the symptom is underreported. Some experience it a few times a year, while others deal with it monthly. Reports suggest it occurs more often in women than men.

Dr. Patel explains this may be due to gynecological conditions, hormonal fluctuations, pregnancy, and increased nerve sensitivity in the pelvic region.

Is It Dangerous?

On its own, lightning bum is usually not dangerous. However, Dr. Patel cautions that recurring or severe episodes can sometimes signal a deeper issue. If it’s persistent, worsening, or accompanied by other symptoms, it’s worth getting checked out.

Six Possible Causes of Lightning Bum

According to Dr. Patel, several health conditions may be responsible:

1. Proctalgia Fugax

This common condition involves brief spasms of the anal sphincter that cause sudden, sharp pain. It affects up to 18% of adults, most commonly between ages 30 and 60. While harmless, frequent episodes may improve with warm baths, gentle stretching, pelvic floor physiotherapy, or muscle-relaxing medication.

2. Endometriosis

In some cases, endometrial tissue can irritate nearby nerves, including those close to the rectum. Pain often worsens around menstruation.

3. Pelvic Floor Muscle Spasms

Unexpected tightening of the pelvic floor muscles can trigger sharp pain. Targeted physiotherapy is often effective in managing this.

4. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

IBS may contribute indirectly, particularly if bowel changes or abdominal discomfort are also present.

5. Nerve Compression Syndrome

A trapped or irritated nerve can send sharp pain signals downward. Treatment may include physiotherapy, medication, or—rarely—surgery.

6. Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)

Certain STIs, including gonorrhea, chlamydia, and herpes, can infect the rectum and cause inflammation, nerve irritation, or muscle spasms, leading to sharp pain.

When to See a Doctor

If lightning bum is frequent, persistent, worsening, or accompanied by other symptoms such as bleeding, changes in bowel habits, fever, or pelvic pain, it’s important to see your GP. A proper evaluation can help identify—or rule out—any underlying causes and ensure you get appropriate treatment.

The Bottom Line

Lightning bum may be uncomfortable and awkward to talk about, but it’s often harmless. Still, recurring pain is your body’s way of asking for attention. When in doubt, getting it checked can provide reassurance—or uncover an issue early, when it’s easier to manage.

Sometimes, listening to your body—even when it’s sending strange signals—can make all the difference.

You’ve just read, A Doctor Explains What “Lightning Bum” Really Is. Why not read Manager Had To Hire A New Employee.

IT ALL CAME OUT' – GAVIN NEWSOM BLOWS UP AFTER BEING EXPOSED LIVE ON AIR

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — As the 2028 presidential election cycle rapidly approaches, life is getting increasingly complicated for California Governor Gavin Newsom.

The ambitious Democrat, widely expected to declare his candidacy for his party's highest nomination, is currently drowning in a massive, rapidly expanding ethics scandal centered on hundreds of millions of dollars in questionable corporate donations. As federal investigators continue to circle both the governor and his wife, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the sheer scale of his fundraising tactics is raising serious alarm bells across the political spectrum.

At the absolute center of this controversy is Newsom’s unprecedented and unapologetic use of "behested payments"—a controversial practice in California law that allows elected officials to personally solicit massive, unlimited donations from deep-pocketed corporations, wealthy individuals, and labor unions to fund specific charities or government initiatives.

While technically legal under the state's highly permissive rules, government watchdogs and ethics experts are fiercely arguing that these payments represent a glaring, dangerous loophole. It essentially allows special interests—many of whom have active, highly lucrative business before the state of California—to gain massive political influence and curry favor with the governor, entirely outside the strict boundaries of traditional campaign finance laws.

The $347 Million Man

According to official California disclosure records, the scale at which Newsom utilizes this loophole is utterly staggering. Since 2011, Newsom has reported soliciting more than $347 million in behested payments.

To put that massive figure into perspective, data from the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) reveals that all elected officials statewide combined directed roughly $556 million in behested payments between 2011 and 2026. Newsom alone accounted for nearly two-thirds—a whopping 62%—of that total.

By stark contrast, his predecessor, former Democratic Governor Jerry Brown, reportedly solicited a relatively modest $35 million in behested payments during his entire tenure.

"Behested payments are ripe for abuse," warned Sean McMorris of California Common Cause, pointing out the obvious ethical minefield created when powerful elected officials lean on organizations that have direct business before the government.

The Optics of Influence Peddling

The ethical concerns are not just hypothetical; they are rooted in a pattern of massive corporate donations followed by highly favorable state actions.

Public reports have raised serious questions about several major donors who opened their checkbooks at Newsom's behest and later benefited immensely from state contracts or policy decisions. For example, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare giant Blue Shield donated a staggering $20 million to initiatives heavily supported by Newsom. Shortly thereafter, the corporation was miraculously awarded a highly lucrative, no-bid state contract related to vaccine distribution.

Similarly, the Kaiser Foundation contributed nearly $10 million before securing a significantly expanded role in California’s massive Medi-Cal program. In another instance, the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria donated millions to organizations associated with the governor and his wife’s initiatives. Later, they benefited significantly from favorable state decisions involving tribal gaming matters, including efforts to block a rival casino from opening nearby.

While proving an explicit, legal quid pro quo is notoriously difficult, critics argue that the actual transaction is irrelevant. The concern is that the system inherently encourages and rewards a "pay-to-play" culture. Assemblyman David Tangipa slammed the practice, describing behested payments as a blatant form of "political influence peddling," boldly arguing that just because the system is legal does not mean it isn't deeply corrupt.

The Family Business and Federal Heat

The issue has drawn even fiercer scrutiny because millions of these corporate dollars have been funneled directly into organizations tightly linked to the governor’s inner circle. Approximately $4.8 million in behested donations were routed to the California Partners Project, a nonprofit organization co-founded by Jennifer Siebel Newsom. For many critics, corporate money flowing into a charity run by the governor's wife creates, at the very least, a glaring appearance of a massive conflict of interest.

The intense debate over this influence-peddling loophole comes at a highly precarious time for the governor. Newsom recently acknowledged that both he and his wife are currently the subjects of multiple, ongoing federal investigations. While neither has been charged with any wrongdoing, and the Department of Justice has remained completely tight-lipped about the exact nature of the inquiries, the specter of a federal probe casts a dark cloud over his 2028 presidential ambitions.

A "Laughable Slap on the Wrist"

Adding insult to injury for government transparency advocates, Newsom recently agreed to pay a $31,500 ethics fine handed down by the state's campaign finance watchdog, the FPPC. The fine was levied after the commission found that Newsom flagrantly failed to legally report 36 separate behested payments—totaling more than $5.6 million—within the required 30-day timeframe.

The late disclosures involved massive corporate donations solicited during the 2024 and 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, pulling in vast sums from corporate titans like BlackRock, Amazon, Lockheed Martin, and Anthem Blue Cross. While Newsom's office brushed off the violation as a mere paperwork oversight during an emergency, critics blasted the $31,500 penalty as a "laughable slap on the wrist" for a wealthy politician manipulating a quarter-billion-dollar shadow fundraising system. This marks the second time Newsom has been fined for late reporting of these payments, having previously paid a $13,000 fine in 2024.

Supporters of the governor are quick to point out that these behested donations have funded critical public initiatives, including wildfire relief and charitable causes. However, the public benefit of those projects does absolutely nothing to eliminate the massive concerns surrounding transparency, corporate influence, and the ability of powerful special interests to funnel unlimited cash into causes promoted by the state's most powerful executive.

As Newsom attempts to position himself as the future of the Democratic Party, the growing scandal surrounding his $347 million loophole is forcing a national reckoning. The American people are left to wonder: if this is how Gavin Newsom runs California, how exactly would he run the country?

He just admitted what we ALL suspected... and honestly, it is stranger than anyone thought

Posted July 11, 2026

Barron Trump has long been one of the most private members of a family that has remained under intense public scrutiny for decades. As the youngest son of former U.S. President Donald Trump and former First Lady Melania Trump, he has spent much of his life in the background of political and media attention. Now, as he reaches adulthood at 20, public interest in his future and personal outlook has continued to grow.

Recently, Barron briefly acknowledged the attention surrounding him and the volume of speculation about his life. While some online headlines have framed his remarks as revealing or dramatic, accounts from those familiar with the situation suggest his comments were more restrained. He reportedly addressed the ongoing curiosity by noting that many assumptions about him are based on speculation rather than verified facts.

Throughout his childhood and teenage years, Barron largely avoided public political engagement and media commentary. Unlike some children of prominent political figures who later step into public-facing roles, he has maintained a consistently low-profile presence. This approach is widely understood to have been intentional, allowing him to experience a more private upbringing despite his family’s visibility.

Even so, public curiosity about him has remained steady. Social media discussions frequently speculate about his personality, interests, and possible future paths. Some commentary has suggested he could eventually move into politics, while others have floated possibilities ranging from business to technology or sports. However, there has been little publicly confirmed information about his long-term goals or ambitions.

In his brief acknowledgment of the attention, Barron reportedly suggested that people often project assumptions onto him based solely on his family background. He emphasized, according to accounts, that he is still a young adult in the process of figuring out his own direction—similar to many others his age.

Although the remarks were relatively modest, they drew significant attention precisely because he is rarely heard from in public settings. The limited nature of his public presence has often amplified interest whenever he does speak or appear, leading to widespread online interpretation and discussion.

Those familiar with the family have indicated that Barron has continued focusing on education and personal development. Over the years, there have been occasional reports suggesting interests in areas such as sports and technology, though none of these have been publicly confirmed by him in detail.

Media analysts note that the level of attention surrounding Barron reflects a broader pattern in modern media culture, where the children of high-profile figures often become subjects of public speculation regardless of their own level of engagement. In the social media era, even small or indirect comments can quickly be amplified into larger narratives.

For now, Barron appears to be maintaining a careful distance from public life. While reaching adulthood naturally increases interest in his future plans, it does not necessarily indicate a shift toward a public or political role.