Anal itching

Off and on for the past 6 months ive had anal itching, and sometimes slight itching in my vaginal area, but its mostly just right around the anus.  Ive also experinced some sharp pains in my tailbone area, but not to servere.  I dont know if there related.  i did alot of exercising this summmer so i thought it might have been from that.  I dont have insurence so I havent gone to the doctor.  I do consume alcohol on a regular basis, and been under alot of stress and anxiety lately. im a 23 year old female and just need some kinf of clue to whats going on.  Anything helps, thanks.  Oh and I did try some kind of cream from the store but that only brought temperory relief.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

Anal itching is also called pruritis ani.Causes of itchy anal rash include moisture(due to sweating or frequent washing), the abrasion caused by clothing,the pressure of sitting,chemical irritants like laundry soaps, colognes and scented toilet paper,certain food irritants,medicines like some antibiotics and laxatives,infections like STD’s and pinworms,anal abrasions and fissures and skin problems such as psoriasis, seborrhea and eczema. Sometimes hemorrhoids will start off as red rash and anal itching.

Treatment of anal itching depends on the cause of the problem. It may include self-care measures, changes to your diet, treatment of infections or, rarely, surgery to correct an underlying problem.So pls get an examination done by a surgeon to confirm the diagnosis.Till that time,try an over-the-counter (OTC) cream or ointment containing hydrocortisone (Cortaid, Preparation H),but it is to be applied sparingly to the affected area. A protective ointment that contains zinc oxide (Desitin, Balmex) also may help. If your symptoms are worse at night, pls take an antihistamine like benadryl to reduce itching until topical treatments take effect.

Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep us posted if you have any additional queries