Anal burning is a symptom that can indicate a simple irritation or inflammatory pathology of the mucous membrane that lines the anal sphincter.
Sometimes accompanied by itching, pain and bleeding, anal burning can be of varying intensity and create more or less significant discomfort. Sometimes it becomes almost disabling.
The mechanism that triggers anal burning is basically an irritative and inflammatory type.
As we will see, the causes can be of various kinds.
- Take care of intimate hygiene.
- In the event that you often go to public bathrooms (without a bidet or shower), it is necessary to have wet cleaning wipes.
- Prefer materials and products that do not cause irritative dermatitis.
- In case of allergy, use only materials or products that are normally tolerated.
- Follow a diet free of irritating molecules or subject to food intolerance, and rich in beneficial elements for the intestinal mucosa.
- Prevent or treat alvus disorders (constipation and diarrhea) with diet, medications and natural remedies.
- Practice anal sex in conditions of maximum hygiene and lubrication.
- Prevent or treat any pathologies of the anus (inflamed hemorrhoids, fissures and fistulas) with diet, drugs, natural remedies or surgery.
- Prevent or treat any infectious diseases of the anus using precautions or drug therapies.
- Compensate for any hormonal disorders.
- Reduce psychological stress.
- For constipation, fissures and hemorrhoids:
- Foods rich in fiber. Soluble ones are more recommended, but foods usually contain both. Furthermore, the percentage of insoluble ones is generally higher. Fibers also act as a prebiotic:
- Cereals: wholemeal ones are preferred. The fibrous portion of these foods is mostly insoluble, but it is still advisable to include them in the diet.
- Legumes: those with peel are preferred. Many think that the side effect of the intake of legumes, that is flatulence, derives above all from the fibrous component; It is not so. This is the effect of certain anti-nutritional molecules that remain in excessive quantities in undercooked legumes. NB. Soaking dry ones (eliminating the water) is a factor that helps their expulsion.
- Vegetables and fruits: these are the foods that contain the most soluble fiber
- Oil seeds: the so-called dried fruit is very rich in fiber; however, oilseeds are also high in fat and can have an excessive caloric impact. In the daily diet they should be included in the amount of a few grams.
- Algae: they are a predominantly oriental food which however boasts numerous positive characteristics; among these, the richness in soluble fibers.
- Guarantee the supply of fats: 25-30% of the energy in fats favors the lubrication of the faeces and the consequent sliding in the intestine. It is advisable to prefer:
- Oils of vegetable origin, preferably cold pressed: they soften the stool, are liquid at room temperature and provide many healthy nutrients.
- Eat highly hydrated foods: as anticipated, the cause of fecal hardening is dehydration. We recommend foods and recipes that are richer in water, such as:
- Fresh and raw foods: especially fruit and vegetables.
- Minestroni in broth.
- Soups of cereals or legumes in broth.
- Milk and yogurt.
- Fish and meat soups.
- Drink plenty of water, both between meals and with meals.
- Insert probiotic foods: they enrich the intestinal bacterial flora and can improve intestinal health: yogurt, buttermilk, kefir, tofu, tempeh, miso, kombucha, sauerkraut, gherkins, etc. On the other hand, it must be remembered that the acid barrier of the stomach it eliminates most of the microorganisms.
- Laxative foods: this category is generic and includes all products capable of exerting a laxative effect. They are laxatives: rehydrated dried plums (also drinking the soaking water), milk (especially hot), yogurt, broth, honey, beer (especially raw), blackberries, grapes, peaches, licorice, figs, kiwis, sugali, etc.
- For diarrhea:
- Astringent foods, we remember: lemon, unripe bananas, medlar, carob flour and tea.
- Foods that do not contain fiber: those of the I and II fundamental food group. Among these, the most suitable are: lean meat and fishery products, poor in connective tissue (poultry, rabbit, fillet and loin of larger animals, sea bream, sea bass, cod, shrimp, etc.), very aged and non-fat cheeses (especially grana padano and parmesan cheese).
- If necessary (based on the etiology of diarrhea) also include probiotic foods, avoiding those rich in lactose.
- See also: Diet for Diarrhea
- Milk and derivatives, especially fresh unfermented ones.
- follow low-fat diets, ie with a quantity of fat less than 25% of the energy.
- Eating dehydrated foods:
- Seasoned cheeses and cured meats.
- Dried meat and fish.
- Meat and fish in salt or in oil.
- Condensed milk.
- Dehydrated fruit not found, concentrated, cooked and squeezed vegetables (e.g. spinach), etc.
- Crackers, bread sticks, croutons etc. instead of fresh bread.
- Dry snacks (fried corn, peanuts, nachos etc).
- Astringent foods: the astringent action has a rather subjective effect. Some are: tea, lemon juice, banana, boiled white rice, carob and flour, etc.
- Diuretic supplements.
- Milk and dairy products (mozzarella, chartreuse, ricotta, etc.).
- Laxative foods: because they are rich in fiber or other laxative or prebiotic molecules. Whole grains, unhulled legumes, honey, kiwi, milk (especially hot), broth, tamarind, cassia, dehydrated fruit, figs, licorice, oilseeds, bran, beer, etc.
- If necessary, probiotic foods (depends on the etiology of the diarrhea).
- Very fatty foods, too protein or rich in connective tissue: salty and sweet snacks, creamy desserts, fatty meat cuts (ribs, bacon), sausages and salami (sausages, mortadella, etc.), fatty cheeses (for example mascarpone, burrata etc.), molluscs, certain offal etc.
- Lactic ferments and probiotics can sometimes be useful.
- Specific antibiotics for infectious dysentery: broad-spectrum ones are not suitable, as they also damage the intestinal bacterial flora. There is a specific category necessary for the treatment of dysentery.
- Antiprotozoa: against protozoal infestations.
- Spasmolytics: they do not act on the infection but reduce the symptoms; they are also widely used for other forms of diarrhea.
- Vegetable carbon: absorbs gases and partly excess liquids in the intestine.
- Anxiolytics: they work in cases of psycho-somatic diarrhea.
ATTENTION! It is very important not to reverse the specific therapy for hemorrhoids with that for fissures or vice versa; the opposite effect could be obtained.
- For infections of the anus (fungal and bacterial), specific drugs and especially for topical use in ointment (for example Nystatin or Cancidas for candida). Systemic drugs are more suitable for parasites.
- For idiopathic burning, generic topical analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs (especially ointments) are used:
- Corticosteroids for topical application: Hydrocortisone (e.g. Locoidon).
- Local anesthetics: Lidocaine (vagisil), Pramoxine (e.g. Proctofoam HC) or Benzocaine (e.g. Foille ointment).
- For allergic dermatitis burns, antihistamines are used such as:
- Diphenhydramine (eg Aliserin, Diphenes C FN).
- Hydroxyzine (for example Atarax).
- For hormonal disorders, there are dedicated drugs. For example, in the case of thyroid decompensation, therapy with sodium levothyroxine (e.g. Eutirox) is frequent.
- For excessive psychological stress, some choose to use small doses of anxiolytics such as benzodiazepines.
