Irritation

We all experience it. We all experience that horrible burning feeling that we get when we constantly clean our back side after using the bathroom. If I am having a bad day, a day where I use the bathroom more than my normal, I will experience horrible burning afterwards. It hurts so bad that sometimes I actually want to cry. So why does this happen, and what can we do to prevent it? Finally what are some cures?

I came down with two differences why we experience horrible burning when we wipe are backsides. The first has to do with the amount of times you use the bathroom. Every time you move your bowel, you have to clean. You wipe over the same area with toilet paper. That is just like rubbing your arm with sandpaper. After a while it is going to get irritated. Sometimes it comes to the point that I don’t even want to clean myself because I know that it will hurt too bad. There has been time where I use the bathroom at home, and jump into the shower to clean myself. The only problem with that is that I then have to bleach my shower. That’s a secret I only tell my Crohn's family, I know you will not laugh!

The other reason why we experience burning when we wipe our backside is what was in the food we ate. For example, if we ate red sauce, which is very acidic, then of course it will burn when you have a bowel movement. In result it might burn when we go to the bathroom. I choose not to eat red sauce for this reason. Again every IBD patient is different, so this may not apply to you.

So now on to how we can resolve this?

For one, try to use soft toilet paper. It might cost a little bit more, but you will feel better in the end. Secondly, try not eating foods that are very acidic. Of course this might be food that you really like, but you may have to make sacrifices sometimes. Thirdly, try using baby wipes that do not have alcohol in them. I find that the alcohol doesn’t help with butt burn. I would find a cooling cream, something you can apply to soothe your skin. Also try to find creams that do not mess up your underwear. It should be easy to come out in the wash. I use a cream that it actually says on the bottle, “Use as much as you want.” Its very effective. It is pricy, but again, I will pay. I do not like walking out of a bathroom looking like I am a duck!

Don’t be afraid if you clean your butt and you see a tine drop of red blood. The red blood probably means its from the surface of your skin. Now you're saying, “Paul, all blood is red right, so what are you talking about?” I learned that if there is bright red blood on the toilet paper, then its likely from a surface burn. If you see dark blood on the toilet paper, that probably means that there is bleeding going on internally, and you need to talk to your doctor immediately.

Remember, butt burn isn’t a major problem, but it is a nuisance. Do what you can to minimize your discomfort. Follow a few of my tips, and please share some of yours!