Pruritus

Anal itching, known as pruritus, is an irritating itching sensation around the anus. The cause may be due to a disease or many reasons. Most people with itching do not have a disease. Instead, the itchy sensation may be a sign that the skin in this area is irritated.

Reasons:

* The presence of feces on the skin around the anal opening may be due to the anus not being cleaned well after defecation. Even a small piece of stool can cause severe itching.

* A diet with foods and drinks that irritate the anus: Dietary habits can cause itching. These include spicy foods, coffee, tea, cola, milk, alcoholic beverages (especially beer and wine), chocolate, citrus fruits, vitamin C tablets and tomatoes.

* Antibiotic use: Many antibiotics disrupt the normal flora of the intestine and can trigger itching. Medicines applied to the anus area can cause an allergic reaction.

* Painted and perfumed toilet paper, sprays used for hiker, deodorants and powders used for this area, medicated skin cleansers, soaps may be factors.

* Diseases in the lower part of the digestive system: Hemorrhoids, fistulas, rectal cracks, rarely anorectal cancers may cause itching.

* Infection and parasites: Pinworm (especially in pediatric patients), scabies, anal condyloma, fungal diseases of the region can cause itching.

* Skin problems: Skin diseases such as psoriasis, eczema, seborrheic dermatitis

Every person may experience anal itching at some point in their life. Although it is 2-4 times more common in men than women, it prevalently affects half of the population.

Being overweight, sweating, wearing tight underwear, not using cotton underwear can cause itching in the anus.

Treatment

Treatment should address the cause of the itch. Unless the cause is eliminated, the complaints do not end completely, although they regress, they may reappear after a while.

First of all, a good clinical history of the patient should be taken and existing diseases should be questioned. The drugs used in the rectal area should be determined. If necessary, allergy tests should be done. It should be questioned whether itching is seasonal or not. However, a detailed anal examination should be performed. It should be determined whether there is any anorectal disease or not. (Hemorrhoids, bowel incontinence, anal fissure, anal fistula, anal condyloma, etc.) The detergents, toiletries and underwear preferences should be questioned. The food products and drinks consumed should be evaluated.

Physical examination is not limited to anus examination, but also a systemic examination of the whole body.

Causes of skin lesions in treatment should be evaluated by a specialist.

Treatment has three stages:

In the first stage, Pruzon Ointment or a cortisone ointment should be started in order to eliminate itching in a short time, and at the same time, irritants such as cosmetic products, toilet paper, wet wipes should be kept away from the patient.

It is suitable to use soap powder instead of detergent for laundry. Soap and cosmetics should never be applied to the anus area.

Regarding nutrition .. The patient should be informed about avoiding foods and beverages, which I have just classified for the causes of the disease, and preventing the consumption of these foods.

Second stage; Keeping the anus area clean and dry and maintaining the integrity of the skin in this area. The area should be cleaned with warm water, then dried with a cotton towel. It is very important to change underwear frequently. Settlement and wetness in this area should be prevented. Cutting fingernails short will minimize skin irritation during itching.

The third stage is treatment based on the cause of the underlying disease. So anorectal, infectious, dermatological, etc. It is the detection and treatment of pathologies.