Anal itching can make you feel all weird and uncomfortable in front of everyone. The hardest part is when you have to control the itching in a room surrounded by people. The best option for you in those circumstances would be to rush to a nearby restroom and take care of it. Luckily, controlling anal itching is not all that hard when you follow the remedies mentioned below. Keep in mind that you have to pay more attention to what you eat when you want to control it. There are certain foods that increase the itching and also foods that make you feel little better.
So what causes it?
Anal itching has many variety of causes. Just keep in mind that itching can start to happen irrespective of your personal hygiene. Some of the common reasons include soaps, allergies triggered by certain products, excess sweating in the panties due to tight clothing, unhygienic and low-quality toilet paper, hemorrhoids, fungal infections which are quite common among diabetes patients, and pinworms. If the itching gets severe in the night it is most likely due to pinworms.
Home Remedies for Anal Itching
Hydrocortisone Cream: If you have damaged the tissues in the anal area which is making you feel uncomfortable, then you can make use of a cream called Hydrocortisone cream. This cream will arrest the swelling and itching sensation in the area making you feel more at ease.
Some people use petroleum jelly like Vaseline over anus to find relief, but it will increase the moisture content in the area encouraging fungal and bacterial growth. So stay away from it.
Benzocaine Cream: This cream is a local anesthetic which makes part of the skin where you slather it feel numb. Due to this reason, it relieves you from the itchy sensation. Alternatively, you can also use Itch-X gel.
Baking Soda: Fill your bathtub with warm water and add 3 to 4 tablespoons of baking soda to it and let it dissolve. Be seated in the bathtub for around 15 minutes. Both warm water and baking soda will eliminate the microbes, fungus, and worms which is making your anal area to feel itchy.
Tea bag: Hold a warm tea bag against your anal area where you feel it itchy. Tea leaves present in the tea bags releases certain chemicals when it is heated that are known to control swelling and itchy sensations. Do not compress the tea bags while it is very hot, let it cool down to a bearable temperature before going ahead.
How to Prevent
Wipe Off Thoroughly: Ensure you are wiping off the remnants of the stools in your anus area more thoroughly. You can wipe off two times if needed. Never use a low quality and scented tissues for the process. Use a plain tissue with no scent added to it. You can wet the tissue in clean water for the first wipe, followed by a dry wipe to make it completely dry. Do not leave the area wet.
Moisturizing Wipes: Sometimes we might go overboard with scratching the itchy area just because it feels better, only to find out little later that it makes it much worse. So replace the toilet paper with moisturizing wipes which we use on kids to wipe the area.
Use Baby powder or Cornstarch: Most often wet anal area leads to itching, as it acts as a breeding ground for fungus, yeast, and other microorganisms. To ensure the place remains dry, make use of a hairdryer and dry it down around 30 seconds. Let the temperature be set to low so that you do not end up damaging the tissues in the region. Once it is dried well, you can apply some baby powder or cornstarch. If you opt for baby powder just make a note that baby powder that contains perfume causes skin irritation in some people. So go after one that doesn’t contain any perfume. Read the label for contents.
Cotton Underwear: Nice and comfortable cotton underwear will keep your anal area dry by absorbing the sweat and moisture content. Synthetic underwear and tight pantyhose encourage sweating. So do not use them.
Say no to Acidic and Spicy Foods: Sometimes foods you eat can be the main culprit for the problem. Many studies reveal that acidic foods like citrus and spicy foods rich in pepper, hot sauces for dinner can make you feel all itchy the next day when you wake up.
Oily Foods and Coffee: Oily foods and coffee also encourage irritation in the region. Minimise your intake of oily deep-fried foods and coffee intake.
Fragrance-Free Detergents: Use fragrance-free detergents and fabric softeners for washing your clothes as the chemicals that create that pleasant smell are sometimes the culprits known to increase that itchy and scratchy feel.
Fibre and Water to the rescue
Anal fissures occur mainly due to really hard stools passing through the anal area which damages the fine lining. One of the main reason for hard stools is lack of fiber in your diet. This can sometimes lead to constipation as well. Ensure your daily diet has good amounts of fiber in it. Doctors recommend around 30 grams of fiber intake every single day. Fibre and water will increase the bulk and softness of the stools and ensure its smooth release.
When you need Doctor’s Help?
- If the symptoms of itchy anal area doesn’t stop or reduce by following above measures
- When there is a blood discharge in the poop.
- when you notice an extra growth or lump in the anal area.
- If you are diabetic and you have persistent anal itching.
- When you children keep scratching the rectum because it feels itchy. Sometimes it is an indication for intestinal worms.