Anal Pain

Anal pain is pain or discomfort felt around the anus or rectum. This pain is common and it can be caused by various conditions. Anal pain can sometimes occur together with other symptoms such as itching, discharge or bleeding around the anus. You can prevent this pain by practising good anal hygiene and by eating a high fibre diet, such as beans, vegetables and fruits. If the pain continues regardless of medications, you should see your healthcare provider for further treatment.

There are many conditions that can cause pain in the anus. Common causes include:

• Trauma or injury to the anus. This can happen due to anal sex, masturbation with sex toys, a hard fall or even when shaving this area of your body.
• Constipation may cause a tear in your anus. This happens when you try to force a hard stool out.
• Sexually transmitted infections such as syphilis, herpes and anal warts. You should practice safe sex by using a condom.
• Haemorrhoids also called piles or ‘jedi jedi’, which are due to the veins in your anus swelling up and sometimes bleeding.
• Ulcers or wounds in your intestines.
• Infections of the anal region, which can be bacterial, viral or fungal.

Anal pain may not be painful at the beginning but it can get worse when nothing is done about it. When you notice any of the following, see your healthcare provider:

• Pain keeps re-occurring and prevents you from doing your daily activities.
• Anal pain comes with other symptoms like fever, bleeding, itching and discharge.
• When you notice a mass or swelling around your anus.

The following actions can help you prevent anal pain:

• Practising proper personal hygiene: try not to clean or wipe too aggressively after stooling. Avoid using soaps that can irritate your skin and wear items of clothing that are free to allow your anus to ‘breathe’.
• Including fibres in your diet: eat foods that are rich in fibres as this promotes a healthy bowel movement. Good sources of fibre include vegetables, beans, potatoes, nuts and fruits.
• Having safe sex: ensure that you practice safe sex with your partner. You should also be gentle with your partner and lubricate well when having anal sex.

Self-care tips:

• Include fruits and vegetables in your diet: fruits, such as watermelons and oranges, and vegetables, such as spinach ‘efo’, cabbage or lettuce, help to soften your stools. This helps prevent tears and piles due to hard stools.
• Use a sitz bath regularly: sitting over a tub or wide bowl of warm water helps reduce anal pain and swelling.
• Anal hygiene: wash your anus well after using the toilet. You should also take a shower or a bath daily.
• Shave carefully: to avoid cuts, shave your anal region very carefully. You can also use hair removal creams.
• Use pain killers: pain killers, such as paracetamol, help in reducing the severity of the pain. These can be bought without a prescription at close-by pharmacies.

Medical treatment:

• Your healthcare provider may prescribe medications to fight any infections or to soften your stools.
• Surgery may be required to repair any deformity or relieve the anal muscles.

Anal pain can be awkward and distressing. Home remedies (see the self-care tips) will often help to relieve pain and swelling. Combined with the right diet and with proper hygiene you should be able to remedy most cases of anal pain. If, despite these measures, the pain persists, occurs often or gets worse you should visit your healthcare provider without delay.