I have been dealing with pruritus ani (anal itching) for the past eight years. Despite seeing various traditional and alternative doctors, none could identify the cause or provide an effective solution.
The situation was unbearable.
I found myself waking up in the middle of the night needing to itch and usually I would hurt myself and make the condition more severe.
I was helpless. Until I decided to take massive action.
I took matters into my own hands to find a solution to this nightmare that was making my life miserable.
I spoke to dozens of traditional and alternative practitioners, read numerous studies, asked ChatGPT, and searched Google—anything I could think of.
After years of research and trial and error I found the most potent remedies for Pruritus Ani and now I’m able to summarize my findings in a clear non medical language so you can benefit from it too.
This doesn’t mean you’ll necessarily heal the condition completely but I can tell you that it will relieve the symptoms dramatically so you’ll be able to have a good night’s sleep.
Before I begin, Rule #1:
Consult a physician if you haven’t already.
Reasons for itching can vary, so it’s crucial that a trained professional will physically examine you to see if the situation can be diagnosed.
The known causes for pruritus ani are:
- Hemorrhoids – swollen, enlarged veins that form inside and outside your anus and rectum.
- Yeast infection – Also referred to as Candida.
- Anal fissures – tears in the lining of your anus or anal canal
- HPV – Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is a very common virus that can affect your genitals as well as your rectum and anus.
- Warts – a type of sexually transmitted infection that form around your anus
- Pinworms – tiny white or light gray worms. They live in the intestines and rectums of infected people. They lay their eggs around your anus at night, which causes the area to itch.
This page is meant for the majority of people, who just like me, have no clear diagnosis and are left without any solution to their situation (also known medically as idiopathic pruritus ani).
Solutions for Anal Itching
So without further ado, here’s what worked for me. I personally tried everything on this list, this is not just a curated list I copied and pasted from around the web. I wholeheartedly suggest you do the same – don’t just take something as given, test and see what works best for you:
Treatment #1 – Coconut oil
Coconut oil is known to be a natural moisturizer and soother. Applying a small amount on my anus before I went to sleep or any time I felt an itch coming on drastically improved my feeling. Also, it acts as a lubricant so if I do scratch yourself eventually the scratching isn’t as harmful to my anus.
Make sure to use cold pressed coconut oil as it’s a much healthier alternative than the hot pressed one. To apply coconut oil, take a small amount and gently rub it on the affected area before bed or whenever you feel an itch coming on.
Conconut oil is BY FAR the best natural solution I’ve found up until now for ongoing relief. Here’s where you can get cold pressed coconut oil.
Treatment #2 – Keeping the area clear of chemicals
Moisture and chemicals can enhance itching. That’s why I suggest that one of the first things you do is stop washing your anus with soap, just use water. And in general don’t rub the area if you don’t have too as it will irritate the itching sensation.
If you feel like you have to use soap opt in for a natural type of soap from natural ingredients and without any chemicals, preferably unscented (you can see an example here).
Treatment #3 – Self administered colon cleanse
This is one of those treatments that I stumbled upon accidentally. An Ayurveda doctor recommended I do a colon cleanse (i.e. an enema) at home as it helps keep the colon clean, restore the gut to normal health and maybe even flush out some of the causes for the anal itching on the way.
It took me a while to get used to the idea but at a certain point I started doing a self administered colon cleanse once a week. I have to admit that aside from removing all trace of the anal itching for the first few days after the cleanse, I also felt much more vital and energetic in the following days.
So while this is not a treatment I’d recommend for anyone it’s something to consider if you’re feeling adventurous. This is the kit I use to do this treatment at home. It’s super easy to do once you get the hang of it and surprisingly helpful
Treatment #4 – Ozonated Olive Oil
Ozonated Olive Oil is made by infusing a high concentration of ozone in extra-virgin pure olive oil. It combines the moisturizing and smoothing properties of olive oil with the versatile healing properties of ozone.
Here’s a list of its properties:
- Moisturizing and nourishing the skin
- Purifying, regenerating and repairing the skin.
- Improving blood circulation and associated problems (ulcers, severe dry skin…).
- Controlling and preventing the proliferation of germs present in some skin conditions (acne, seborrhea, skin lesions…).
- Improving cellular metabolism and strengthening the natural anti-inflammatory system.
- Treating problematic or damaged skin (redness, bedsores, scars…).
My personal experience with ozonated olive oil was that is creates some relief but not sure if anything changed in the long term. In any case I’m keeping it in my arsenal of natural pain relievers.
There’s one main brand that creates ozone related products and ships worldwide, you can check it out here.
Treatment #5 – Using a bidet
One of the issues of an itchy anus is that it’s a vicious cycle of scratching and itching. That’s why keeping the area clear of any irritation was crucial for me as a first step towards recovering.
Instead of using regular toilet paper I started to use a bidet. In my opinion a bidet by itself doesn’t do the trick, you still have to gently tap your bottom with dry toilet paper or use moist toilet paper to be completely clean.
A bidet isn’t for everyone and if you go to the toilet outside of your house you’re still stuck without one. That’s why I think using a cheap portable bidet is a good first step.
This way I was able to see if and when I wanted to use a bidet and not commit to installing one in my house (which frankly would have been kind of weird).
Here are two types of portable bidets I’ve tested out. This one is electrical and works great (it’s what you see in the image above). This one is a simple water sprayer bidet.
Treatment #6 – Moist toilet tissue
As a complimentary item to the bidet you can use moist, flushable toilet tissues. These tissues will alleviate the scratching sensation normal toilet paper has and will help you put the final touches to cleaning your butt.
Just make sure to use a brand that is chemical free since the anus is a very sensitive area and you don’t want these chemicals to be absorbed into your digestive system.
Here’s where to get flushable moist toilet tissue.
Treatment #7 – Pranicura 5 cream
Probably the only product on the web that is dedicated to anal itching Pranicura is an FDA approved, patent pending creme that alleviates anal itching. It has dozens of reviews online although the one’s on their site seem filtered out to show only the positive.
After digging a bit deeper online and trying Pranicura myself I can say the following:
- It seems to do the work and grant relief from the itching. Having said that, it does not cure pruritus ani.
- Some people claim it really burns their skin due to the alcohol in the creme coming in contact with irritated skin. This however is claimed to be normal according to the user manual and should improve over time. You can read various user reviews on TrustPilot.
- In the end you should only use Pranicura if you can’t overcome your itch naturally, and personally after doing most of the steps I’ve mentioned above I rarely need to use it.
I used Pranicura 5 and it indeed burned like crazy. My skin wasn’t even injured that much when I applied it and it really felt intense. It did alleviate the pain for a while but I feel that I found other, more natural solutions that help me manage the situation.
So unless nothing else works for you, I’d postpone the Pranicura treatment to the end of my list. It just doesn’t feel that something so “aggressive” should be applied on such a delicate area.
Click here to check out Pranicura 5.
Treatment #8 – Cotton underwear / Not wearing underwear
As part of keeping the anus ventilated I started using cotton underwear. cotton is a natural, breathable fabric that helps keep the area dry and reduces irritation. The reason cotton works so well is because it absorbs moisture, it’s breathable, gentle on the skin and hypoallergenic, meaning it is less likely to cause an allergic reaction compared to some synthetic materials, which can be beneficial for sensitive skin.
Another alternative is just “going commando” which also worked for me whenever it was suitable.
Here’s where to get some quality cotton underwear.
Treatment #9 – Low carb diet
One of the most effective measures I took was reducing the amount of refined carbs in my diet. Moving to a diet that is based on natural protein and fat (i.e. red meat, eggs, fish, etc.). improved my overall health and also reduced the itching substantially.
I noticed that whenever I indulged in foods I typically avoid—like chocolate or bread—the itching worsened the following night. In general I don’t follow any specific diet but I do use guidelines derived from Paleo and Ketogenic diets.
While these diets aren’t for everyone you can always start by doing a test and removing refined carbs for a day and seeing what effect it has on you. The reason that reducing carbs works so well is that many times anal itching is caused due to fungus or yeast that thrive on carbs.
Even if you don’t change your diet I highly recommend you start tracking everything you eat during the day and when the itching sensation increases or decreases. This way you’ll be able to see if certain foods amplify the itching sensation.
Here’s where you can learn more about Paleo
Here’s where to learn more about Ketogenic diet
Treatment #10 – Warm baths
Warm baths are a great way to ease an itchy and irritated butthole. When I want to go the extra mile I also use soothing bath salts (you can also use Epsom salt which helps sooth the body and with skin issues). The way to do it is to pour 2 coups of bath salt into a warm tub and after it dissolves in the water (about 3-4 minutes) you can sit in the bath for as long as you like (I usually do at least 15 minutes).
This is the type of salt I use (you can see it in the photo), and this is a good brand of Epsom salt you can use.
Living in peace with Pruritus Ani
I use these ten treatments as needed, depending on the severity of my symptoms, and have experienced a significant improvement. I no longer have sleepless nights due to itching, my skin feels strong and healthy and whenever I feel an itch coming on, usually a bit of coconut oil keeps it at bay.
The endgame here is to touch the anus area as little as possible so that eventually you’ll “train” your body to be free of the itch as much as possible. The immediate itch relief comes from having a warm bath and reducing cards. If that doesn’t help I might add Pranicura 5 (I try to use it as little as possible) or coconut oil alternatively.
For ongoing maintenance I apply coconut oil before going to bed and after every bowel movement. I also make sure to wipe the area only with gentle strokes of regular toilet paper or with moist toilet paper plus using a portable bidet. Once I week I also conduct a self administered enema which helps me feel energized and usually relives the itch for the following days (but it’s not a must in my opinion).
I hope this information was helpful, if you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them in the comment section below.
Adam.