An NHS GP has gone viral with 1.9m views on TikTok revealing why we experience itchiness in the bottom and how to prevent it.
The medical professional, who goes by Doctor Sooj on social media, warns that scratching is inadvisable, but offers a few simple solutions to sufferers.
In a video shared by What’s The Jam, the 32-year-old doctor says: “Do you have an itchy bum? If you do, here are some things that you can do to help.
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“You want to figure out what the underlying cause is – it can be piles or haemorrhoids, it can be constipation, it can be poor hygiene, or it could even be a fungal infection.
“We want to treat the underlying cause in the first instance, but here are some things that you can do to help.”
Doctor Sooj, from Hertfordshire, recommends eating more fibre and drinking more water as a first line of defence to help relieve constipation.
Next, he suggests: “When you wash your bum, try and use some unscented soaps or just use water.
“It’s also a good idea to wash your anus after you’ve done a poo.
“But please avoid wiping or rubbing it too much with wet wipes, because they can irritate the sensitive tissues around your anus.
“You can also wear some loose-fitting cotton underwear, and keep the area nice and clean and dry.
“Pat it dry – don’t rub it dry.
“Try and avoid scratching as much as you can.
“If you really can’t stop scratching, then make sure you keep your fingernails short and wear some cotton gloves at night.”
Finally, he says to go to a doctor for any concerns, due to rare cases where it can be a sign of anal cancer or diabetes.
But first things first.
In the video, Doctor Sooj recommends finding out what the underlying cause of the itchiness is.
In a second video, which garnered 600,000 views, he goes into detail on the various common causes.
He says: “The first is threadworms – these are more common in children, they get more itchy at night, and there are worms in the poo.
“They look like small pieces of thread in the poo, and the whole household would need to be treated.
“The second is piles or haemorrhoids – these can give you a lump around the back passage, they can give you bright red bleeding when you poo, and can be itchy and painful and swollen.
“They are usually caused by constipation, but if you have any bleeding or lumps from your back passage, please go and see a doctor, because we need to make sure it’s not something more sinister.
“The third is a fungal infection around your anus – with these, you can get a pinkish discolouration, there can be some discharge, and it can be really, really itchy.
“They’re very easy to treat – go and see a doctor, we can prescribe some antifungal creams or steroid creams, and it should just clear up the problem.
“In some cases, an itchy bum can be a sign of things like diabetes or anal cancer, so please go and get it checked out by a doctor if it’s persisting, or if you have any concerns.”
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