Anal itching, medically known as “pruritus ani,” is a condition that many people experience. Let’s discuss the causes, how to relieve, and the reasons behind anal itching, which affects nearly 3 out of every 100 individuals in our article.
Anal itching, which can be severe and put individuals in difficult situations, has various causes. When individuals with itching complaints are examined, a disease causing this problem is diagnosed in half of them. The other half is caused by a lack of attention to cleanliness or irritation of the skin due to excessive hygiene.
Causes of Anal Itching
- Excessive sweating or the area remaining moist for different reasons
- Inadequate cleaning
- Use of synthetic underwear
- Stress
- Cleaning with chemical-containing products such as soap, shampoo, shower gel, and wet wipes
- Consumption of foods like coffee, milk, cheese, chocolate, etc.
- Allergic conditions such as urticaria, asthma, and others
- Relaxation of anal muscles
- Excessive cleanliness, rubbing the anus, and irritating it
- Medications used for any illness
Diseases that Cause Anal Itching
- Parasitic diseases
- Fungal diseases
- Microbial diseases
- Vaginal discharge or urinary incontinence in women
- Anal fistula
- Anal fissure
- Hemorrhoids
- Anal cancer
- Diarrhea
- Diabetes
- Jaundice
- Blood diseases
How to Relieve Anal Itching and Its Treatment?
Firstly, it should be investigated whether the factor causing itching is a disease. If the factor causing the complaint is a disease, treatment for the disease should be initiated. If it is not caused by a disease, attention should be paid to all the other reasons mentioned above.
During the determination of the cause of itching, for temporary relief from this complaint, we recommend our patients to use PRUZON OINTMENT. Since it contains herbal cortisone, this cream is highly effective and safe for relieving anal itching or any itching on the body, with no side effects. When applied to the anal area, the effect lasts until washing, and it should be reapplied after washing.
What Can Be Done at Home for Anal Itching?
If anal itching does not occur due to any disease, some factors to be considered at home may help relieve the itching:
- If you sweat excessively or if there is more secretion in the anal area than normal, you can place paper towels for both ventilation and drying.
- After the defecation process, the anal area should be thoroughly dried, and it should not be left moist.
- Since tight clothes can prevent sufficient ventilation in the buttock area, loose-fitting clothes should be preferred.
- Cotton clothes and underwear should be preferred over synthetic ones.
- If parasites cause itching, a stool test should be performed, and if parasites are present, treatment should be started. Parasites that come out of the anus can cause itching and can be transmitted to others who use the same toilet. Parasites that come out of the anus can cause itching and can give a feeling of movement.
How Should Anal Area Cleaning Be?
The anal region is different from other parts of the body in terms of structure. The presence of bile acids in the stool, the potential for germs, and the different sweat structure of this region compared to other areas require different and special cleaning. Products such as soap, shampoo, shower gel, or wet wipes, which we comfortably use in many parts of our body, should not be preferred for cleaning the anal region. Because these products can irritate and eliminate the layer (mucosa) that protects the skin in the anus. For the cleanliness of the anal region, only clear water or, if possible, lukewarm water should be used.
