Pruritus Ani (Anal Itching) in Santa Ana, CA

Many times pruritus ani will be able to heal on their own over a relatively short amount of time. However, individuals should contact Dr. Albert Chung for effective treatment if their symptoms continue to worsen. Dr. Chung is a colorectal surgery specialist based in Santa Ana, CA, treating the greater Orange County area with expert-level colorectal care. Give our office a call at (714) 988-8690 today.

What Is Pruritus Ani(Anal Itching)?

Pruritus ani is when the skin at the exit of the rectum (anus) becomes irritated, causing an uncomfortable amount of itchiness. The intensity of the itchiness increases with added moisture, pressure, and/or rubbing caused by motion or clothing. At its worst, pruritus ani causes discomfort at an intolerable level that is often accompanied by burning and/or soreness. It’s estimated that up to 5% of the population of the United States experiences this type of discomfort daily.

What Are The Symptoms?

• Itchiness
• Irritation
• Burning
• Soreness
• Scratches (excoriations)
• Thick or leathery skin on or around your anus (perianal area).

Causes of Pruritus Ani

The causes of anal irritation can stem from several factors:

Psoriasis also can be present in the anal area and irritate. Other problems that can contribute to anal itching include pinworms, hemorrhoids, tears of the anal skin near the mucocutaneous junction (fissures), and skin tags (abnormal local growth of anal skin). Aside from diseases relative to the condition, a common view suggests that the initial cause of the itch may have passed and that the illness is in fact prolonged by what is known as an itch-scratch-itch cycle. It states that scratching the itch encourages the release of inflammatory chemicals, which worsen redness, intensifies itchiness, and increases the area covered by dry skin, thereby causing a snowball effect.

Psychological factors may also contribute to the awareness of itching.

How Does Dr. Chung Treat Pruritis Ani?

Reducing Anal Irritation

Treatment of pruritus ani typically begins with measures to reduce irritation and trauma to the anal area. Stool softeners can help prevent constipation. Topical steroids or injected methylene blue may be tried if stool softeners alone are not enough.

Keeping the Area Clean

In some cases, especially where the snowball effect is a factor, pruritus ani can be effectively treated by simply keeping the area clean with water and patting it dry whenever the urge to itch is felt. If the urge to scratch the area is still present, your doctor may recommend applying a steroid cream with antibiotics and antifungal properties to treat infected skin. Continue to clean and dry the infected anal area after each bowel movement and at night until itchiness symptoms subside.

Medication

Another treatment option that has been met with success in small-scale trials is the application of a very mild topical anal itching cream. This strength cream is not typically commercially available and therefore must be diluted by a pharmacist or end-user. If the itchiness is secondary to another condition such as infection or psoriasis, these are typically treated.