The itchy anus is a skin condition characterized by an itchy sensation in or around the anus, which is an embarrassing and uncomfortable feeling. The feeling of anal itching usually increases at night or after each bowel movement and is accompanied by burning, redness, and pain. It is more common in men, and it can also be itchy anus is temporary, or continuous, depending on the cause. It gets worse at night and after passing stool. This condition affects 1% – 5% of people, meaning that it is widespread.
The itchy anus will lead to scratches in the area, causing numerous infections and sores. The area is a very good environment for some types of bacteria, and the hand that has been scratched will come out loaded with many pathological pollutants.
Itchy anus has many causes, as 75% is caused by one of the causes that will be mentioned, and 25% of cases are classified as idiopathic anal itching.
Causes of anal itching
The causes of anal itching cannot be determined in many cases, but there are many possible causes such as some health problems, wrong habits, and diet. Some of them are mentioned below:
Itchy anus due to exposure to skin irritants
Exposure to some skin irritants is one of the causes of anal itching, such as:
- Use of soap, hot water, excessive use of wet wipes, and vigorous rubbing with rough tissue paper are among the causes of anal itching.
- Suffering from chronic urinary or fecal incontinence is one of the most common causes of anal itching in children and the elderly.
- Not paying attention to good hygiene or over-regulating and washing vigorously after using the bathroom.
- Wear tight underwear or fabrics that cause itching, such as wool and synthetic fibers.
Itchy anus due to diet
Diet is one of the causes of anal itching, as excessive consumption of caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, chocolate, nuts, citrus fruits, tomatoes, tomato products such as ketchup, spicy food, and dairy products can increase the risk of anal itching. Itching around the anus.
Itching of the anus due to skin diseases
The itchy anus can be caused by some skin conditions such as:
- Scabies is one of the most common causes of itching around the anus in student housing and nursing homes where people spend a lot of time near each other, and sharing clothes, towels, and bedding leads to its spread, and when more than one person in the same family is infected with scabies that causes itching Around the anus the whole family is treated as in pinworms.
- Psoriasis is a chronic condition that can affect the skin around the anus and is one of the causes of anal itching.
- Contact dermatitis is a skin rash that causes itching in the anus due to skin sensitivity to some creams, lotions, washing powders, and wet wipes due to the chemicals they contain.
Itching of the anus due to hemorrhoids
- The relationship between suffering from hemorrhoids and itching is clear, as hemorrhoids are one of the causes of itching in the anus, which are swollen veins in the rectum or anus that can occur due to suffering from constipation or at birth.
- Itching from hemorrhoids can be relieved naturally by sitting in warm water for 15 minutes several times a day, especially after each bowel movement, drinking plenty of water, and eating plenty of fiber so as not to make hemorrhoid constipation worse.
Itchy anus due to anal fissure
- An anal fissure is a small wound inside the anus, and it is one of the causes of anal itching, and it can occur due to suffering from constipation, chronic diarrhea, or Crohn’s disease.
Itchy anus due to anal fistula
- Causes of anal itching include an anal fistula, which is a small abnormal channel that connects the end of the intestine to the outer skin surrounding the anus due to a serious infection, leading to fluid leakage and skin irritation, and anal itching.
- Suffering from Crohn’s disease, cancer, and radiation exposure increases the chance of infection, anal fistula, and anal itching.
Causes of anal itching
Itching of the anus due to infections
The itchy anus is also caused by infections, including sexually transmitted diseases such as human papillomavirus (HPV), pinworms, and yeast infections.
Itchy anus due to human papillomavirus
Infection with the human papillomavirus is one of the causes of itching in the anus, and it is a sexually transmitted disease, and it causes the appearance of anal warts that grow in and around the anus and can be transmitted to the genitals, and it needs medical care so that failure to treat it does not cause anal cancer.
Itching of the anus due to pinworms
- Pinworm infection is one of the most common causes of anal itching in children. This is done by eating contaminated foods or exposure to some things contaminated with pinworms, such as bed linen and bathroom, and the feeling of anal itching is usually at night when the female pinworm lays her eggs around the anus.
- Pinworms that cause anal itching can be seen in underwear or the toilet after a bowel movement as small pieces of white thread.
- When more than one member of the same family is infected with pinworms that cause anal itching, the whole family is treated.
Itching of the anus due to anus fungi
- Anus fungi or yeast infections are among the causes of anal itching. The symptoms of anus fungi are severe in the first few days and then begin to moderate. Symptoms of anus fungi appear around the anus, and anus fungi can spread to the genitals.
- The symptoms of anus fungi are the feeling of severe and continuous itching around the anus, burning, pain, inflammation, redness, and suffering from skin damage from scratching.
- Oral fungi occur due to an imbalance between fungi and bacteria that are naturally present in the body; Fungal growth increases and infection occurs
- Oral fungi occur due to an imbalance between fungi and bacteria that are naturally present in the body; the growth of fungi increases and the infection of the anus fungi occur.
- Anus fungi are not sexually transmitted diseases, and they can be transmitted through anal sex, and the use of sexual toys infected with anus fungi.
- The fungus can be treated naturally using coconut oil, creams containing garlic and thyme, and taking probiotics that increase the effectiveness of anti-fungal drugs and reduce the recurrence of infection.
- It is possible to treat style fungus medically by using ointments, creams, or tablets containing butoconazole, Clotrimazole, Fluconazole, Miconazole, and Terconazole.
Itchy anus due to other medical conditions
Some other medical conditions such as type 2 diabetes, thyroid disease, lymphoma, anal tumors, proctitis, liver disease, blood cancers, suffering from anemia, and kidney failure are the causes of anal itching, and suffering from psychological conditions such as anxiety itchy anus, stress, or depression can cause anal itching.
Symptoms of anal itching
Other symptoms can be felt when suffering from anal itching besides feeling itchy in the anal opening area, such as feeling pain, burning, redness, rash, discomfort, and pain when defecating.
Diagnosis of anal itching
The itchy anus is diagnosed in the following ways:
Clinical examination
- The doctor examines the area in bed to see if it contains abnormal changes. Sometimes the doctor may diagnose the cause directly, in the event of external hemorrhoids or if he sees skin diseases, such as psoriasis or pimples.
- In the absence of a visible cause of the condition, the doctor takes all the information from the patient about his health condition and his suffering from other diseases in the body. The doctor may link the physical illness to this condition.
Endoscopy
If the itching is severe and the doctor is unable to identify its causes clinically, he recommends endoscopy, which reveals the condition of the rectum and anus, and diagnoses hemorrhoids, fistulas, and anal fissures, if any.
Comprehensive examinations
If no diseases are found in the rectum and anus, the doctor conducts comprehensive medical examinations to search for the cause. These examinations include the following:
- Comprehensive blood test.
- Examination of stool.
- Examination of urine.
- Imaging examinations.
- Bacterial tests are often sought by culturing an anal swab.
Itchy anus treatment
Treatment of anal itching with herbs
Itchy anus and inflammation of the anus can be treated with herbs. Here are some of them:
- Garlic is one of the natural recipes used in the treatment of anal itching and inflammation of the anus with herbs, by eating garlic cloves, and it can also be cut and placed on a salad plate.
- Coconut oil is used topically to get rid of anal itching and anus inflammation with herbs, as it reduces the feeling of itching and burning.
- Aloe Vera is one of the effective recipes in the treatment of anal itching and inflammation of the anal opening with herbs.
Medical treatment of anal itching
The treatment of anal itching depends on the treatment of its cause. Itchy anus and anus infection can be treated medically through:
- Use of topical steroids such as creams and ointments.
- Take antibiotics or anti-fungal medications if you have an infection.
- More medical interventions may be needed in the case of hemorrhoids, such as ligation to reduce the size of hemorrhoids or surgical removal of hemorrhoids.
Treatment of anal itching in children
Treatment of ankylosing spondylitis in children depends on the causes leading to it and can be dealt with by:
- Maintaining the child’s hygiene, especially the area around the anus.
- Use topical lotions to relieve itching.
- Avoid using materials that can irritate the skin around the anal area, such as cleaning products.
- Use of medicines after consulting a doctor.
Tips for coping with anal itching
Some tips can be followed to cope with anal itching, such as:
- Apply ointments and gels to protect the skin, such as Vaseline and zinc oxide.
- A good cleaning with water and drying with a soft towel, taking care to dry the anal area.
- Sitting in warm water, especially after a bowel movement, reduces anal itching.
- Try as much as possible not to persist in anal itching so as not to scratch the skin and cause infection. Regular nail trimming and wearing cotton gloves will help to reduce the involuntary itching of the anus at night.
- Using skin care products that are free of artificial fragrances and colors, using washing powder, and perfume-free soap, and taking a warm shower.
- Wearing cotton underwear that allows the skin to breathe and prevents its temperature from rising.
- Constantly changing underwear, not re-wearing sweaty clothes, and washing clothes well after practicing water sports such as swimming.
- Take a shower and wear clean clothes after intense sweating, such as exercising.
How can anal itching be prevented?
The itchy anus can be prevented by:
- Adopt a healthy diet to avoid constipation and diarrhea, and maintain regularity and consistency in bowel movements by eating foods rich in fiber and probiotics daily, avoiding hot and spicy foods, and reducing the intake of foods high in carbohydrates.
- Do regular exercise.
- Ensure good hygiene after using the bathroom, and ensure that the anal area is dry by gently wiping.
- Avoid exposure to skin irritants.
- Avoid wearing tight underwear, and wearing loose-fitting clothes to avoid rashes and anal itching caused by friction.
- Avoid stress as much as possible, and it can be reduced by practicing yoga and meditation.
- Taking care of internal hydration and keeping the skin from drying out by drinking enough water and liquids, and avoiding alcohol and caffeinated beverages such as tea and coffee.
Complications of anal itching
Complications of anal itching are as follows:
- Scratching the area and causing severe ulcers.
- Transmission of diseases from the anus to other parts of the body, if the hands are not washed thoroughly after scratching.
- Transmission of diseases from the anus to other people, if food is contaminated with dirty hands with contaminants from the anus. This complication has spread in restaurants, causing food poisoning for a large percentage of people.