Itchy bottom - not threadworms or piles

[BG2015]

I've had an itchy bottom for months. I don't have threadworms (had them before a few times) and it's not piles (although I did suffer with them last year) as I can't feel anything. The nurse examined me last year and said she couldn't see piles or worms but it looked irritated and she prescribed me a cortisone cream which made it slightly better.

This itch isn't the same as piles , it's actually up the sides of my bottom - ifykwim? I've been using annusol cream, Sudocrem (so sore with the scratching) and also acqueous cream which seems to calm it down a bit. But nothing actually works.

It's worse at night and often wakes me up. I wonder whether it's eczema or some other skin condition. It's driving me crazy

It could be a reaction to a certain food - tomatoes and chocolate are culprits. It could also be a reaction to loo roll. I'd suggest using a bamboo loo roll, dampen it a bit when wiping, and use a medicated powder such as caldescene (baby powder). If you can take antihistamines it will help take the edge off.

Funnily enough I've started using talcum powder this afternoon.

I'll change my loo roll too and see what happens.

Is it sweat, did you get new underwear that could be causing more sweat. Try folding a piece of tissue and placing it between the butt cheeks at night. You could try canesten cream or Daktarin talcum powder in case its thrush.

Same cotton M & S underwear. Nothing is really different.

I'm not overweight (could maybe lose 7/10lbs which I'm working on) don't really sweat much.

I suppose I'm sitting down more as WFH which could contribute to it, I suppose.

I've ordered some bamboo toilet paper. I'll try anything

Also don't use scented pads/liners - use unscented cotton. I'd also suggest not using scented washing powder/softener. Maybe get non bio washing powder to use for your underwear.

I had this too. I changed to wearing night dress at night and that really helped. Also, dab a wet tissue on the area to clean before bed and pat dry.

How old are you? Peri menopausal symptom?
Try a suppository with hydrocortisone in.

Do you have a tendency to react to shampoo/conditioner/shower gels? I'd try rinsing extra carefully using the shower head just in case it's residue (I sometimes get a similar reaction).

Eczema, yeast infection, herpes?

Daktarin hydrocortisone cream works really well [ you can buy it in Boots ]. I have had this issue on and off for years. My GP said it is sometimes unexplained.

Don't use anything scented, just use plain water on the area.

If you have been using anusol for long then it could cause itching. You could have first degree pile - it is difficult to feel them, they don't bleed normally and you don't even get pain but they do release mucus which can itch. The mucus can also make the external area sore. Treat it like you would treat piles with suppositories. Germaloids suppositories are better than anusol ones. Or try using hydrocortisone suppositories as pp has suggested.

@Woodlandview12

I had this too. I changed to wearing night dress at night and that really helped. Also, dab a wet tissue on the area to clean before bed and pat dry.

Same here - pj's are gone.

Internal piles are likely. From a fellow sufferer, you have my sympathies! I now have some Proctosedyl suppositories and they're working.

The onset of Lichen Sclerosis perhaps?

I had this...it was a fungal infection sorted with anti fungal cream. V v itchy and apparently quite common. I don't sweat much and shower every morning but apparently it just happens!

Could it be an allergy to your washing powder. Go back to GP if it doesn't clear up.

Thank you all, you're fab!

I've stopped using our toilet paper, used a wet cotton pad this morning until the bamboo toilet paper arrived from Amazon. It's actually felt better (not sure if it's in my head)

I've been wearing nighties for a while now for that exact reason, I'm 52 and just get too hot in bed.

I had a hysterectomy 3 years ago and am on HRT.

I've also bought non- bio washing liquid. So will see how I go on with all of that.

Be careful about using talc in this area. Some studies suggest a possible link between talc applied to the genitals, and ovarian cancer. Because the anus and the vulva are close together, some talc applied to the bottom could drift to the vulva and enter the genital tract.

Try using canestan . Could be yeast infection like thrush.