Swollen Anus Causes and Relief

A swollen anus can occur from a wide range of acute and chronic conditions, such as hemorrhoids, anal fissures, and fistulas. Based on the cause of your swollen anus, you may also have symptoms such as pain, discomfort, and bleeding.

Your anus is at the end of your digestive tract, where stool exits the body. It contains sensitive nerve endings, blood vessels, and tiny glands. Swelling occurs as a result of damage or irritation to your rectum or anus. Extra pressure, straining with bowel movements, and friction in the anus and the skin around it can trigger swelling.

Finding the cause of your swollen anus can help you get relief for your symptoms and improve your quality of life. Some causes of anal swelling, such as hemorrhoids, may be improved with home treatment. However, chronic anal swelling requires a medical diagnosis since it may mean a more severe problem.

This article describes anal swelling, its common causes, and home treatments. It also explains when to consult a healthcare provider and what to expect if you need GI testing.

 

Pain From a Swollen Anus

Anus pain and swelling can vary depending on the cause of the swelling. Swelling in your anus or elsewhere in the body typically occurs as an inflammatory response to an injury or irritation. Redness, heat, and pain can often accompany symptoms of anal swelling.

The type and location of pain that accompanies a swollen anus can vary by cause and by individual. Symptoms of a swollen anus can include:

• Pain that comes and goes: It is often described as sharp, searing, or burning with a bowel movement, then dissipates after passing the stool.
• Pain with a firm, tender mass or swelling in and around the anus: This sometimes is accompanied by bloody discharge from a mass.
• Mild pain around the anus: This can be accompanied by persistent drainage of blood, pus, or foul-smelling mucus from an abscess (boil) or other infection.
• Constant pain and swelling at the anal opening: This can accompany bloody discharge or rectal bleeding.

 

Internal vs. External Hemorrhoids

Both internal and external hemorrhoids (swollen veins in your rectum or anus) can cause a swollen anus. Internal hemorrhoids develop just inside the anus, in the lower rectum. External hemorrhoids develop under the skin around the anus.

Hemorrhoids, also known as piles, occur as the result of too much pressure on the veins around your anus. They can occur spontaneously or due to extreme straining during bowel movements, sitting for long periods on the toilet, or heavy lifting. Conditions like pregnancy or aging can also trigger external hemorrhoids. Most hemorrhoids resolve within a week.

Internal hemorrhoids can be asymptomatic (with few or no symptoms). Symptoms of internal hemorrhoids can include:

• Painless bleeding and protrusion during bowel movements
• Prolapsed hemorrhoids that fall outside your rectum
• Severe pain with complete prolapsed internal hemorrhoids that can’t be pushed back inside your rectum

External hemorrhoids can cause more discomfort than internal hemorrhoids. Symptoms of external hemorrhoids include:

• One or more hard or tender bluish lumps near your anus
• Anal pain, especially when sitting
• Sudden, severe pain if a blood clot forms inside an external hemorrhoid
• Increased pain or swelling from straining, rubbing, or cleansing the area
• Constant and severe pain as a result of a thrombosed hemorrhoid, an external hemorrhoid with a blood clot inside

 

Other Causes of a Swollen Anus

Other causes of a swollen anus include the following conditions:

Anal Fissure

An anal fissure is a small tear in the lining of your anal canal. This common condition usually occurs from a bowel movement that involves large, hard stools or long-term diarrhea. Other factors include decreased blood flow to the anal area, tight anal sphincter muscles (the muscles that control your anus), and anal sex.

Symptoms of an anal fissure can include:

• Crack in your anal skin when the area is slightly stretched
• Anal pain during and after a bowel movement that can last for hours
• Visible tear or cut in the anal area
• Bright red bleeding during or after a bowel movement

Anorectal Abscess

An anorectal abscess is a boil, or pocket of pus, that develops in the anal canal or rectum. The problem is usually caused by the accumulation of bacteria in vulnerable or compromised tissue such as a blocked gland in the anal area, infection of an anal fissure, a sexually transmitted infection (STI), or trauma to the area involved.

Having certain risk factors such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), anal sex, pregnancy, and diabetes, and taking certain cancer medications can increase your likelihood of having an anorectal abscess.

Symptoms of an anorectal abscess vary by individual. They can include:

• Constant, throbbing severe pain or swelling near your anus or buttocks
• Severe pain during bowel movements, coughing, and sitting
• Constipation (less frequent bowel movements and hard stools)
• Pus discharge from your rectum
• Fever, fatigue, night sweats, and chills
• Redness, painful and hardened tissue in your anal area
• Tenderness in your anal area

Anal Fistula

An anal fistula is a small channel or connection that forms between your anus and the external skin near your anus. It can also extend from your anal canal to other organs such as your urinary tract or vagina.

An anal fissure can develop as a result of blocked or inflamed anal glands inside your anus and lead to an infection and abscess. Certain conditions like Crohn’s disease, radiation therapy, trauma, or surgery to the area can also cause fistulas.

Symptoms of an anal fistula can include:

• Nonhealing chronic wound near your anal area
• Red, itchy skin near the anus
• Pain in the anal area
• Fever, chills, and fatigue
• Foul-smelling pus or other anal drainage

Pruritus Ani

“Pruritus ani,” a term that means “itchy anus” in Latin, is a condition that causes irritated skin around the anus. It triggers a strong urge to scratch the affected area. The scratching can worsen the condition, leading to a cycle in which you want to scratch more, but doing so only worsens the irritation.

Pruritus ani is often described as idiopathic, meaning occurring from unknown causes. Potential causes can include underlying conditions such as hemorrhoids, excessive moisture in the area, diet, or personal care.

Symptoms of pruritus ani include:

• Chronic, intense itching and burning in the perianal skin
• Injury and inflammation of the affected area as a result of persistent scratching
• Blood on toilet paper after a bowel movement

Proctitis

Proctitis is inflammation of internal rectal tissue. It can result from STIs and other types of infections, autoimmune disease, inflammatory bowel disease, or radiation treatments.

Symptoms of proctitis include:

• Bloody stools
• Constipation
• Rectal bleeding and/or discharge
• Rectal pain, discomfort, and/or inflammation in the rectum
• Painful bowel movements

Perianal Crohn’s Disease

Perianal Crohn’s disease is a marker of a more complicated and severe course of Crohn’s disease (a type of chronic IBD). Perianal Crohn’s disease can occur at any time during Crohn’s disease, even before the diagnosis.

Symptoms of perianal Crohn’s disease include:

• Perianal pain and swelling
• Fever
• Drainage of pus, stool, or blood from the vagina, scrotum, or perineum (the area between your anus and scrotum or vulva)
• Fecal incontinence
• Formation of an anal fissure, perianal fistula, anal canal stricture (constriction), or abscess

Anal Cancer

Anal cancer is a type of cancer that starts in your anus. It is quite rare, with about 10,540 new cases diagnosed in the United States annually. It is more often found in older adults, with an average age of diagnosis in the early 60s. Infection by the human papillomavirus infection (HPV) is the highest risk factor for having anal cancer.

Symptoms of anal cancer include:

• Rectal inflammation or bleeding
• Itching in or around the rectum
• A lump or mass at the opening of the anus
• A feeling of fullness or pain in the anal area
• Fecal incontinence, narrowing of stool, or other changes in bowel movements
• Swollen lymph nodes in your anal or groin areas

 

How to Soothe Anal Swelling at Home

You may be able to soothe anal swelling at home, depending on the cause of your symptoms. While home treatments can help reduce anal swelling, you may have to visit your healthcare provider to treat the underlying cause and achieve long-term relief.

Some common ways to relieve anal swelling are:

• Shorten bathroom trips to avoid straining.
• Consume more fiber in food or supplements and drink more water.
• Use a stool softener to help pass stools without straining.
• Use over-the-counter topical hemorrhoid treatments with ingredients such as lidocaine, witch hazel, or hydrocortisone to soothe inflammation.
• Use nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Advil or Motrin (ibuprofen) or Aleve (naproxen sodium) to relieve pain from swelling.
• Take a sitz bath, a warm water bath for soaking the perineum.
• Get regular physical exercise to stimulate bowel function and reduce constipation.
• Apply ice or cold packs.
• Maintain proper hygiene after bowel movements to clear your perineum clean and free of irritants.
• Take antibiotics as prescribed for conditions related to infections such as an anorectal abscess.

 

Anal Swelling That Doesn’t Go Away

Anal swelling that doesn’t go away with home treatments requires a visit to your healthcare provider for an accurate diagnosis and recommendation for swollen anus treatment. Depending on the cause and severity of your anal swelling, your healthcare provider may recommend medication, in-office treatment, or surgery.

Contact your healthcare provider if your anal swelling involves:

• Rectal bleeding or bright red blood on your toilet paper
• Persistent or worsening pain and discomfort in your rectum or anus
• Anal pain or swelling that remains the same despite using over-the-counter treatments and home remedies for over a week
• Bowel movements that appear maroon or dark like tar in color, which can be a sign of internal bleeding
• Anal discharge

Get immediate medical treatment by calling 911 or visiting an emergency room if you have anal swelling accompanied by rectal bleeding that won’t stop with light-headedness, dizziness, or feeling faint.

 

What Happens During GI Testing for Swollen Anus

The type of BI testing for a swollen anus varies based on the characteristics of your condition. Based on your symptoms, medical history, and the results of a physical exam, your healthcare provider will use one or more of the following procedures for GI testing for a swollen anus:

• • Digital rectal exam: This basic physical exam involves your healthcare provider inserting a gloved, lubricated finger to manually examine your rectum and anal canal for abnormal findings.
  • Fecal culture: This lab test uses a fecal (stool) sample to find organisms in your stool related to the onset of gastrointestinal problems and diseases.
  • Rectal culture: This lab test requires a rectal culture taken by inserting a cotton swab in your rectum. The swab is inserted and rotated to collect enough of a culture for use to identify the presence of organisms in your rectum.
  • Rectal biopsy: This procedure involves removing a small piece of rectal tissue that is examined under a microscope. It is often used when cancer is suspected.
  • Anoscopy: This examination uses an anoscope (a hollow tube with a light at the end) to examine the internal lining of your lower rectum and anus for hemorrhoids, anal fissures, and some cancers.
  • Flexible sigmoidoscopy: This internal examination uses a proctoscope (a tubelike instrument with a light and lens at the end) to closely examine the lining of your lower colon and rectum. It can show irritated or swollen tissue, polyps, ulcers, and cancer.

 

• Colonoscopy: This examination involves the use of a colonoscope (a flexible tube with a camera on the end) to examine your anus and entire colon. Typically performed under anesthesia, this procedure can find irritated and swollen tissue, ulcers, polyps, and cancer.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): MRI can help evaluate the anal canal and the adjacent structures. Its ability to safely provide three-dimensional (3D) views and high-resolution images of soft tissue is used to diagnose diseases that originate in your anal canal.

 

Summary

In most cases, a swollen anus heals quickly with conservative treatment. Home therapies and changes to toilet habits can often help your body heal and prevent future problems. Surgery may be an option if the repair of a tear or removal of a mass is needed.

While it’s normal to feel embarrassed to discuss anal swelling, getting medical care may be the only way to treat certain causes. Contact your healthcare provider if you have a swollen anus that does not improve, worsens, or involves rectal bleeding.

Getting an early diagnosis for a swollen anus can help you relieve symptoms and improve your quality of life. It can also improve your outcomes and preserve your health when conditions such as anal cancer are treated early.