You can often do simple things yourself to ease an itchy bottom (anus). See a GP if the itching does not stop.
How to ease an itchy bottom yourself
Do
-
gently wash and dry your anus after pooing and before bed
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wear loose-fitting cotton underwear
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keep cool – avoid clothing and bedding that makes you overheat
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have cooler, shorter showers or baths (under 20 minutes)
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eat plenty of fibre– such as fruit and vegetables, wholegrain bread, pasta and cereal to avoid runny poo orconstipation
Don’t
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do not wipe your bottom after pooing – wash it with water or pat it clean with moist toilet paper, then pat dry
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do not scratch – if you cannot stop, keep your fingernails short and wear cotton gloves at night
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do not strain when you go to the toilet
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do not use scented soaps, bubble bath or bath oil
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do not use perfumes or powders near your anus
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do not eat spicy food or drink lots of alcohol and caffeine – these can make itching worse
A pharmacist can help with an itchy bottom
You can ask the pharmacist if they have a private area where you can speak.
They can suggest:
- creams and ointments you can buy to help ease itching
- medicine and things you should do at home if it's caused by threadworms
Using creams and ointments for an itchy bottom
Do not use:
- more than 1 cream or ointment at the same time
- any cream or ointment for longer than a week – they can irritate your skin and make things worse
Important:Threadworms
An itchy bottom that's worse at night is often caused bythreadworms, especially in children.
Children under 2, and pregnant and breastfeeding women, cannot usually take medicine for threadworms – see a GP, midwife or health visitor instead.
Non-urgent advice:See a GP if:
- you have an itchy bottom that does not ease after 3 or 4 days
- the itch keeps coming back
- the itch worries you or makes it hard to sleep
- you have an itchy bottom and itching elsewhere on your body
Treatment from a GP
A GP will try to work out the cause of your itching. They might need to check your bottom (rectal examination).
Depending on the cause, the GP might:
- suggest trying things to ease it yourself
- prescribe medicine or stronger creams and ointments
Important
Tell the GP immediately if a medicine, cream or ointment makes the itching worse.
Sexual health clinics can help with an itchy bottom
You can also go to a sexual health clinic if you think your itchy bottom might be caused by a sexually transmitted infection (STI) – for example, if you've had unprotected sex. They can provide the same treatments you would get from a GP.
Many sexual health clinics offer a walk-in service, where you do not need an appointment. They'll often get test results quicker than a GP.
Causes of an itchy bottom
There's not always a clear cause of an itchy bottom. If it gets better quickly, it might have been caused by something that does not need treatment, like sweating a lot in hot weather.
If it lasts longer, you might be able to get an idea of the cause from any other symptoms you have. But do not self-diagnose. See a GP if you're worried.
| Other symptoms with itchy bottom | Possible causes |
|---|---|
| Gets worse at night, worms in poo (they look like small pieces of thread) | Threadworms, especially in children |
| Lumps, bright red blood and pain when pooing | Piles (haemorrhoids) |
| Poo leaking or pooing you cannot control | Diarrhoeaorbowel incontinence |
| Sores, swelling or irritation | Ringwormor asexually transmitted infection (STI)likegenital warts |
| Itching elsewhere on the body | Skin condition, such aseczemaorpsoriasis |
| While using long-term medicine | Side effect of steroid creams, some gels and ointments foranal fissure, and peppermint oil |
It's unusual for an itchy bottom on its own to be related to something more serious. But rarely, it may be a sign of something like anal or bowel cancer, so it's important to get it checked by a GP.
Page last reviewed: 28 September 2020
Next review due: 28 September 2023