Why has the lump on my bum has exploded!
This is indeed a great question. Some people are unfortunate enough to develop an acutely swollen lump on their anus. This is an incredibly painful condition and historically patients used to come to A+E with this condition. The pain is unbearable and standard over the counter painkillers usually don’t cut the mustard. The lump is too sore to touch, can bleed and sometimes burst with release of a blood clot.
We call this condition an acute perianal haematoma. It is similar to acutely thrombosed haemorrhoid. It will be hard to concentrate and even harder to do a poo whilst the pain is acute. The following treatment is recommended;
- ice pack on anus as continuously as possible
- regular painkillers – paracetamol, ibuprofen, codeine (may need prescription)
- laxatives – I would take to a pharmacist and get a sachet laxative over the counter.
The future is good. The swelling and pain will subside in 3-5 days. You may be left with an unsightly anal skin tag or frill of tissue dangling from the anal verge. Come and talk to us if you want this removed at a later date. I would not recommend acute surgery as the scars will be unnecessarily large. Best to wait until the ice pack has worked its magic and surgery would hopefully be smaller and more straightforward.