What Are the Treatments for Painful Irritation of the Skin Behind the Anus?

A common problem among adults is anal itching. While many cases can be mild, more often than not the condition worsens until it becomes extremely painful and annoying. In some cases it can even hamper an individual's social and work life. Those who have it know what this means: uncomfortable meetings, unwillingness to go out and have fun, and sometimes infection and other physical ailments.

What Causes Anal Itching?

• Before you can understand how to address the condition of anal itching, you first must understand what causes it. Anal itching is caused by the irritation of the skin in, on or around the anal area that causes the urge to scratch.

  This irritation in turn has various causes. It could be that chemicals or agents in the stool --- due to the foods we eat --- cause this irritation. Frequent liquid stools, or diarrhea, can also cause inflammation of the skin around the anus. Moisture around the anus caused by leaks known as incontinence also causes irritation and itching in the anal region. Psoriasis and abnormal digestive structure due to diseases such as Crohn's disease are also culprits.

  Other conditions caused by diet, amount of exercise and trauma may cause painful anal itching as well. Pinworms, hemorrhoids and anal fissures are sure to cause a great deal of discomfort, leading to the urge to scratch the affected area.

  This urge to scratch can exacerbate the problem, causing more of a problem than is necessary, which is why itching behind the anus must be addressed as soon as possible.

Treating Anal Itching

• Consulting your doctor right away is the best thing you can do. She may have some immediate help to offer in the form of prescription creams as well as ideas about how to improve your diet. An immediate attempt should be made to stop itching the affected area. This will reduce further unnecessary complications.

  Dietary changes to treat anal itching include drinking plenty of water and also having a high-fiber diet. Of course, avoiding fatty foods will also be beneficial to your digestive system as foods with lower fats are easier to digest and move through the digestive system, even resulting in less loose stools.

  Directly, the affected area should be kept clean and dry. Also, using baby wipes after bowel movements can be beneficial to reduce the inflammation of the area. In addition, there are many over-the-counter creams and ointments that can be used to help alleviate the pain and itchiness until the root cause is taken care of.

  Finally, getting plenty of exercise can also help remove toxins from the body and do wonders for relieving hemorrhoids. With a little care, you can quickly and effectively treat painful anal itching.