If you have Crohn’s disease, diarrhea can irritate the skin on your backside. Here are some proven tips for immediate pain relief.
You may not want to talk about it in polite company, but if you have an IBD like Crohn’s disease, diarrhea is an all-too-familiar problem for you. Persistent, urgent diarrhea is one of the classic signs of Crohn’s disease, according to the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation.
“In Crohn’s disease, the immune system mistakes and attacks the body’s normal cells and bacteria as foreign invaders, resulting in inflammation,” says Yezaz Ghouri, MD, a gastroenterologist at University of Missouri Health Care. This inflammation causes damage to the cells in the intestinal lining that normally absorb water. “As a result, stools have more liquid,” says Louis Cohen, MD, a gastroenterologist and an assistant professor of medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. “At the same time,” he adds, “inflammation damages nerves and muscles that control the contractions and sensations of a normal bowel movement,” which creates looser stools and greater urgency and frequency.
All those trips to the bathroom and constant wiping can irritate your skin and may lead to more troublesome complications, such as anal fissures, says Dr. Cohen. Fissures, small tears in the muscles of your anus, make it even harder to clean properly after a bowel movement.
Tips for Stopping Diarrhea
Your first step to relief is to try to limit episodes of diarrhea. Over-the-counter antidiarrheal medication can be useful, says Cohen. But ask your gastroenterologist for advice before taking one, to be sure it won’t interfere with your Crohn’s medication. Also remember that antidiarrheals only mask symptoms; they don’t treat the underlying cause of the diarrhea. Your doctor may prescribe a short course of corticosteroids to treat diarrhea, says Madalina Butnariu, MD, a gastroenterologist at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus.
Dietary changes can also help control diarrhea. Limiting irritants, like caffeine, fatty and spicy foods, lactose (dairy), certain high fiber foods, alcohol, and any other items that you know are triggers can help.
Staying hydrated is also important in managing diarrhea episodes because diarrhea causes dehydration.
You may also want to avoid triggering activities and foods that cause gut inflammation and diarrhea. Dr. Butnariu says a major irritant associated with Crohn’s disease flares is smoking. “What I can’t stress enough is to stop or avoid smoking altogether.”
Treating a Tender Behind
Sometimes you can’t avoid bouts of diarrhea, and that can irritate the skin. Here’s how to treat and help prevent this painful issue.
Clean carefully. An irritated behind can get worse if you’re wiping with dry toilet paper after you go, says Dr. Ghouri. According to the International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders, excessive wiping with rough toilet paper can irritate if the paper crumbles and sticks to the anal skin. Instead, Ghouri suggests using baby wipes, which can also help soothe the skin in the area. Just be sure the wipes are fragrance- and alcohol-free.
Skip harsh soap. When you shower or bathe, rinse the area with warm water and only mild or no soap. The International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders explains that soap can cause your behind to get drier by washing away natural lubricants. If a hose extension is available in your shower, consider directing lukewarm water to the area to ensure that it’s properly cleaned.
Try a sitz bath. Sit for 15 minutes in a shallow bath of lukewarm water. After your wash, make sure to pat dry using a lint-free cloth without rubbing, or allow yourself to air-dry.
Apply topical ointments. Butnariu says to look for topical ointments with zinc for managing irritation. Look for labels on petroleum jelly and choose those with zinc in their ingredients list. Nonmedicated talcum powder or cornstarch are also potential treatment options. Apply a thin layer to the affected area so the skin can still breathe.
Avoid tight-fitting undies. Ghouri recommends his patients wear breathable, fragrance-free cotton underwear that doesn’t trap moisture.
Stand up. Sitting for long periods can increase stress on your bottom area, increasing pain and irritation, says Ghouri. If you find yourself sitting a lot, get up, stretch, and move a few times an hour.
Finally, if your pain doesn’t respond to these measures, talk to your doctor. “You want to be sure you don’t have complications, such as an anal fissure,” says Cohen. Your doctor may recommend other medication to relax the anal muscles and numb the area to make you more comfortable until you heal.
Additional reporting by Jocelyn Solis-Moreira.
Article by: By Denise SchipaniMedically Reviewed by Kareem Sassi, MD
Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash
