The smell can be from a mucus discharge produced by the lining of the enlarged hemorrhoids and excreted from your rectum. You may also experience a fecal smell if the hemorrhoid odor stems from difficulty cleaning your anus owing to discomfort or skin tags.
If your hemorrhoids become prolapsed or start to smell, contact a medical professional as soon as you can. While there is no hard and fast rule when it comes to hemorrhoid odors, a good rule of thumb is that odors caused by mucus have a fishy smell, while odors caused by infections have a rotten or foul food smell.
Hemorrhoids can also cause anal discharge in the form of clear fluid. You might notice this fluid after feeling dampness in your anal area or staining in your underpants. While this clear fluid is usually not a cause for concern, you should understand what it is, how to treat it, and what may be causing it.
You may not even know you have hemorrhoids, but the problem in the anus can give away an unpleasant odor that can be felt by those around you. This could mean that your hemorrhoids have symptoms of inflammation, and your body is just letting you know by giving off an odor.
While hemorrhoids haven't been found to cause gas, they can affect gas levels indirectly by making pressure on the anus painful and altering bowel movement activity. Those suffering from painful hemorrhoids may experience painful bowel movements, not relieving themselves as soon as they normally would.
You may experience a foul or lingering odor as a result of hemorrhoids. Some people experience a fishy smell from the lower rectal region. The smell can be from a mucus discharge produced by the lining of the enlarged hemorrhoids and excreted from your rectum.
Signs of infected hemorrhoids
Swelling and redness around the rectal area. Painful bowel movements. Small amounts of blood in the toilet bowl or on the toilet paper.
A vaginal odor that smells slightly sour or tangy may be a sign that the pH level in your vaginal flora is slightly more acidic than is typical. This smell is associated with the good bacteria in your vagina, lactobacilli. Some people describe the odor as yeasty, similar to sourdough bread.
Causes of anal discharge
Mucus-based discharge may be caused by: Infection due to food-poisoning, bacteria or parasites. An abscess due to infection or an anal fistula – a channel that can develop between the end of your bowel and anus after an abscess.
If your internal haemorrhoid becomes inflamed, it can leak mucus. This is what causes the feeling of dampness and can cause staining to your underwear. The haemorrhoid discharge itself can cause inflammation around the skin of the anus, resulting in a burning sensation that becomes itchy.
The most common complication is pain, but you might also experience a smelly odor. Hemorrhoids are normally associated with extra smelly bowel movements. Other side effects of hemorrhoids include: Bleeding.
In general, small hemorrhoids can go away on their own in a few days. Larger hemorrhoids, particularly ones that cause a lot of pain, swelling, and itchiness, can't go away on their own and may require treatment from a doctor to heal. Pregnant patients may find that hemorrhoids only go away after they give birth.
Most mild internal hemorrhoids resolve on their own within a few days but may take up to a week. On the other hand, larger hemorrhoids will last up to 2-3 weeks, and since they're more prone to complications, they might not resolve on their own, and you'll need to visit a doctor.
"By straining you are causing more hemorrhoids and creating more symptoms," Dr. Wolf says. Don't delay bowel movements during hemorrhoid flare-ups. Go when you need to go, because putting off bowel movements can worsen constipation, which then aggravates the hemorrhoids.
If someone has grade 3 or grade 4 hemorrhoids, doctors often recommend surgery. A general or local anesthetic is usually needed for this.
Know When to See Your Doctor
If you're experiencing any type of rectal bleeding. If the hemorrhoids are causing you pain or discomfort. If the problems persist despite trying over-the-counter hemorrhoid creams or other remedies. If you're passing stools that look maroon in color or tarry in color, a sign of bleeding.
It is usually dark blue in color and often ruptures producing small dark blood clots. While thrombosed hemorrhoids are very painful, they are not dangerous to your health and improve over time similar to a skin bruise. If the pain is severe, they can often be removed in the office by a colorectal surgeon.
Clean your anus after each bowel movement by gently patting (rather than wiping) with moistened pads, such as baby wipes. Using hard, dry toilet paper, which may contain fragrance, can cause further irritation. Keep the area clean by bathing or showering daily with warm water. After bathing, gently pat the area dry.
Use wet wipes.
For quick cleanups, use baby wipes which are gentle enough to be used on the inflamed anus. Don't use wipes that contain alcohol or fragrance. Instead, use wipes that have been moistened with witch hazel. Wipe from the front to the back, instead of the other way around.
Your sleeping position could cause any worsening pain and irritation you experience. Pain in and around the anus can be disruptive since the soft tissues in this region are highly sensitive. As such, any sleeping position that exerts pressure on these soft tissues can worsen your hemorrhoids pain.