ANI Ich Ointment
Anal Itching (Pruritus Ani)
What is anal itching (pruritus ani)?
Anal itching (pruritus ani) is a skin condition that affects your perianal area, which may become worse at night or after a bowel movement. Causes include poor anal hygiene, allergies, certain foods and drinks and other health conditions. Treatments include creams, ointments, medications and home remedies.
What are the types of anal itching?
There are two main types of anal itching:
Primary (idiopathic) pruritis ani: This type of anal itching has no obvious cause. It’s the most common type of pruritus ani.
Secondary pruritis ani: This type of anal itching may have many different causes. Causes may include infections, systemic diseases, contact dermatitis and other dermatological conditions.
How common is anal itching?
Approximately 1% to 5% of the population has anal itching. Men and people assigned male at birth are about four times more likely to have an itchy anus.
How does anal itching affect my body?
Anal itching usually causes an uncontrollable urge to scratch your anus. However, scratching doesn’t provide long-lasting relief.
Scratching your anal area causes further irritation and may worsen the itching instead of providing relief. Your skin in this area is sensitive, and your nails are much stronger than your skin. Scratching with your fingernails may cause skin damage or an infection. If the itch-scratch cycle persists, it can lead to extreme discomfort, soreness and burning.
Symptoms and Causes
What are the symptoms of anal itching?
Symptoms of anal itching may include:
Itchiness.
Irritation.
Burning.
Soreness.
Scratches (excoriations).
Thick or leathery skin on or around your anus (perianal area).
Anal itching, also known as pruritus ani, can have many causes, including:
Skin irritants: Harsh soaps, dyes, or scents in toilet paper or soap, or wiping too hard or too often
Infections: Yeast infections, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), or pinworm infections
Skin conditions: Dry skin, eczema, psoriasis, or contact dermatitis
Medical conditions: Hemorrhoids, diabetes, thyroid disease, or anal fissures
Diet: Spicy foods, caffeine, alcohol, carbonated beverages, milk products, cheese, chocolate, nuts, and tomatoes
Medications: Side effects of antibiotics, steroid creams, and some gels and ointments for hemorrhoids or anal fissures
Parasites: Pinworms, which more commonly occur in children
Moisture: Sweat, mucus discharge from the anus, or residual stool
Straining: Straining to poop, long periods of diarrhoea, anal sex, anal stretching, or inserting objects in your anus
Hygiene: Washing too much or too little can cause irritation.
Cosmetics: Soaps and other products can irritate the skin.
Lifestyle and home remedies
Prevention of anal itching mainly involves a careful washing routine that keeps the area clean, cool and dry, while avoiding irritating the skin.
If you already have anal itching, try these self-care steps to ease your symptoms:
Cleanse gently. Clean the area around the anus when it's soiled or after each bowel movement when possible. This may involve a quick shower, a bidet, a sitz bath or a squeeze bottle. Moist toilet tissue can help. Avoid scrubbing or rough cloths. Pat dry with a cloth or dry the area with a hair dryer on fan-only setting. Using the heat setting could further irritate this delicate area.
Don't scratch. Scratching provides only short-term relief from itchy skin. It further irritates your skin. You may find some relief by applying a moist, room-temperature compress to the area or taking a lukewarm oatmeal bath. Trim your nails short and wear cotton gloves to bed to prevent scratching while you're sleeping.
Wear white cotton underwear that doesn't bind. This helps keep the area dry. Avoid wearing pantyhose and other tight-fitting garments because these can trap moisture.
Avoid irritants. Avoid bubble baths, genital deodorants, scented toilet paper, personal cleansing wipes, and harsh or perfumed soaps. Cleansing with a gentle soap and water and not using any other products is usually the best.
Change your diet. Cut back on or avoid the following items until your symptoms clear up: tea, coffee, cola, alcohol, citrus fruits, pepper, dairy products, spicy foods, tomato sauce and tomatoes. Avoid overuse of laxatives.
Apply ointments, creams or gels. Protect the affected skin from moisture by applying a thin layer of an ointment (Ans ich) or petroleum jelly (Vaseline) 2 to 3 times daily for a week or two.
Eat more vegetables, whole grains and noncitric fruits. This will help with maintaining regular bowel movements. Other sources of fibre are beans, nuts and seeds. Fiber supplements such as psyllium (Metamucil) and methylcellulose (Citrucel) may help.
Home remedies and self-care
People can take steps to manage itching at home. These include:
avoiding known irritants
keeping the anal area clean and washing after emptying the bowel
washing with plain warm water, drying the area well, and using an aqueous cream or emollient as a barrier
drying the anal area by dabbing, not rubbing
applying unscented powder to help keep the area dry
eating plenty of fibre to promote regular bowel movements
avoiding highly seasoned and spiced foods
avoiding medicated, perfumed, or deodorant soaps
using wipes instead of paper
avoiding scratching
avoiding straining when using the bathroom
wearing cotton gloves when sleeping to prevent skin damage due to unconscious scratching
wearing loose, breathable cotton underwear
avoiding wearing underwear at night
avoiding acrylic and nylon clothing, as these can trap sweat
keeping the fingernails short and clean
soothing irritated skin by soaking cotton balls in cold water and applying them to the affected area
Skin irritants, Infections, Skin conditions, medical conditions, Parasites, Moisture, Straining, Hygiene, Cosmetics.
Infections: Yeast infections, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), or pinworm infections, Bacterial skin infections, Fungal skin infections, Viral skin infections.
Skin conditions: Dry skin, eczema, psoriasis, or contact dermatitis
Medical conditions: Haemorrhoids, diabetes, thyroid disease, or anal fissures
Medications: Side effects of antibiotics, steroid creams, and some gels and ointments for haemorrhoids or anal fissures
Parasites: Pinworms, which more commonly occur in children
Moisture: Sweat, mucus discharge from the anus, or residual stool
Straining: Straining to poop, long periods of diarrhoea, anal sex, anal stretching, or inserting objects in your anus
Hygiene: Washing too much or too little can cause irritation.
Cosmetics: Soaps and other products can irritate the skin.
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