Back to Health A to Z. You can often do simple things yourself to ease an itchy bottom anus. See a GP if the itching does not stop. An itchy bottom that's worse at night is often caused by threadworms , especially in children. Children under 2, and pregnant and breastfeeding women, cannot usually take medicine for threadworms — see a GP, midwife or health visitor instead. Find out about using the NHS during coronavirus. The GP will try to work out the cause of your itching.

Itching of the anus the opening at the end of the digestive tract where stool leaves the body and the skin around the anus perianal skin is called anal itching or pruritus ani. See also Overview of the Anus and Rectum. Most often, doctors do not identify a specific disorder as the cause of anal itching, and the itching goes away without treatment after a period of time. Many of the other cases of anal itching are due to hygiene issues.

The itching may become worse at night or after a bowel movement. Scratching the area results in further irritation and makes the itching worse instead of relieving it. Scratching with the fingernails may result in skin damage or an infection. If the itch-scratch cycle persists, it can lead to extreme discomfort, soreness, and burning.