Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Dermatology (Expert Forum)
Anal Itching
Answered by
Alan Rockoff, MD - dermatology, Child Skin Problems
The Rockoff Dermatology Center
Brookline - MA
This forum is for questions regarding Dermatology issues, such as: skin rashes, acne, birthmarks, skin infections, rosacea, and general skin care.
Anal Itching
by shuntiv, Feb 27, 2003 12:00AM
I am 30 years old. I have had problems with my anus since I was around 18 years old. I have had two fissure operations. The doctors say that my fissure is healed up. I agree. But I still am having extreme itching and pain after a bowel movement. Thinking it might be pruitus ani I have tried to alter my diet to suit, no permanent help. But I have become very regular with my Bowel Movements. I have also tried an extensive amount of Fiber products and Stool Products. I have tried Bath after Bath, No permanent help. For years I have used every cream I can think of PH, Anusol, Corticain, Sarnol, Hydrocortizone 2.5 to 0.5, Lanacane and the list goes on. Right now I am using Sarna to give temparary relief when the itching and pain are really bad. I am very hairy so that is not helping either. I use cotton balls and a hair dryer after all baths and showers. I thought at one time it my be a fungus but doctors have told me that it wasn't a fungus. I am so tired of doctor after doctor not knowing what to do with me I quit going like a year ago and started my diet and bath regiment with no luck. So now I am looking for any new advice that may help. Should I just admit that I probably won't ever get better and just continue to suppress the pain? Also I got a bad allegic reaction to any type of cortizone cream that I used in the past to where the itching would spread up to my tailbone. So I have not used cortizone in several years. I need to be normal!!!!
Any advice you can give me will be greatly appreciated.
Any advice you can give me will be greatly appreciated.
Doctor's Answer
by Alan Rockoff, MD, Feb 27, 2003 12:00AM
, Feb 27, 2003 12:00AM
Anal itch is common, annoying, and not curable. The cream I usually recommend is vioform-hydrocortisone, which suppresses the symptoms when they flare. Your doctor can prescribe this. In between, lubricating with vaseline and gentle cleansing is best.
I'm not sure how to interpret your sensation of pain (as opposed to itch). Perhaps you're just thinking about the area too much, after all these years.
I assume you've consulted a proctologist (surgeon) to make sure there's nothing within the anus to explain your symptoms. If not, you should. If you have, then you need to make up your mind that the best you can do is deal with the symptoms and make them tolerable. But that you can do. And you've got lots of company.
Best.
Dr. Rockoff
I'm not sure how to interpret your sensation of pain (as opposed to itch). Perhaps you're just thinking about the area too much, after all these years.
I assume you've consulted a proctologist (surgeon) to make sure there's nothing within the anus to explain your symptoms. If not, you should. If you have, then you need to make up your mind that the best you can do is deal with the symptoms and make them tolerable. But that you can do. And you've got lots of company.
Best.
Dr. Rockoff
You are right, Dr Rockall, that this seems to be a very common phenomenon.
Wonder if it has anything to do with the move over the past two/three decades to soft white chemically treated paper, at the same time as the Western diet gradually contained less roughage?
Whatever, one solution to try is plain old witchhazel, ideally in gel form – just make sure it ‘s not mixed with alcohol or menthol. It provides good relief most of the time, and unlike most other commercial topical creams and ointments, is harmless.
Despite the pain, I was absolutely terrified of what it was I had. Didn't even know what it was called.
Somehow I managed to get by all these years, and it's only been last year, because of the Internet, that I finally learned a little about what I have.
I know now that seeing a colorectal surgeon may bring some relief...
But the fear still lingers. Perhaps someday I'll gather enough courage to fix this problem once and for all, and move on with my life.
Perhaps.
*cries*
I've had this problem now since around October. I've also had general skin rash problems all my adult life, which used to be related to sun, but now seem to be brought out just by heat.
My anal woes began after several weeks on crutches and Percocet. I figured it was related to that. It was really bad, kept me awake and compelled me to the bathroom with ice cubes, which brought temporary relief. I've tried just about everything, myself, and had many a sleepless night. One day, it was so awful I couldn't concentrate on anything, and I started taking Benadryl. That works for sure, but then I fall asleep. I tried non-drowsy types of antihistamines, but they're just not as effective.
Over a month ago, I added yogurt to my diet and I've seen an AMAZING improvement in both the general rash and the anal itch. But I can't skip a day, and one six-ounce container doesn't seem to be enough, so I'm trying to eat one in the morning and one at night. It gets boring, but I know if I skip it, I'll be miserable. I also recently ended up on Percocet again after a back injury. That seems to have brought the symptoms back. One thing I can't help but notice is when it's at it's worst, there is a watery oozing which doesn't smell very good. It's not a bowel odor and it's not of vaginal origin, either. I'm no doctor, but I suspect some sort of yeast issue, which is why I think the yogurt is helping.
No cure??? Please...don't let that be true!