I’m hoping that there’s a doctor out there who can answer this…
During a drunken BBQ this weekend, the subject of the anus came up - more specifically, the injury of the anus:
Occasionally when making a bowel movement the object coming out is slightly larger than what the anus will allow. Therefore stretching occurs. Sometimes that stretching isn’t enough and little tears will afflict the area in question - causing you to bleed.
The question is - given all of the bacteria that is in your colon and around the anus in general, why is it that your ass doesn’t have this huge infection while these anus-tears are healing? Even after a good shower, you’re still going to have to take a shit again…does your body have some kind of hyper-defense mechanism (other than the regular immune system) that’s protecting you?
I don’t know. You would think rubbing shit into an open wound would cause some infection. It has been used as a primative biological weapon in the past (pugial sticks? sharpened sticks diped in shit). Perhaps fresh shit is not as toxic and shit that has been laying around a while. Perhaps it requires a deep wound. Perhaps the anus is not really part of the human body but some parasitic alian life form that is immune to shit but likes to see us backed up from time to time.
I once got an ass infection. At least I think that’s what it was. For a few the area slightly above my anus inside my asscrack was leaking blood and pus. Charming, I assure you. Fortunately it went away by itself before I had the good sense to go to a doctor.
Until an actual doctor arrives, I’ll venture a WAG…
The bad stuff in your body is yours. In other words, you’re in homeostasis…in balance with yourself. Sure, some bad stuff, if applied to a place in the body where it’s not normally found, would cause problems.
That’s not to say that an anal fissure can’t get infected. Og willing, you’ll (and I’ll) never know.
No, you didn’t have an ass infection. What you had was a pilonidal sinus. You are lucky that yours seemed to clear up fairly quickly. I had them for a period of around 4 years on and off. Talk about something that will kill your social/sexual life dead off. It’s like having a period 365 days a year.
Bacteria gets into all parts of us on a daily basis. We’ve all got tiny scrapes on our hands and our hands are constantly touching things that no doubt are dirty. Occasional dirt blows into our mouths or people eat fruits and vegetables without washing them. But for the most part, thank G-D, we don’t get terrible illnesses from this. The same goes with the anus.
I recall a Daffy Duck cartoon where the question was posed, Is there a proctologist in the house? Or something like that. I think a door slammed on a cartoon character’s butt. I never forgot this because I wondered how many kids would know the meaning of proctologist.
I once discussed this with a surgeon specializing in such things. Never mind why. He said that this particular topic (the lack of infections when there is a break in the skin of the anus) amazed him too and that in 40 years of practice he’d never heard a satisfactory explanation.
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Since we’re talking about crap, anyway…I have heard that the main cause of bladder infections (in women) is from e-coli bacteria getting where it shouldn’t- which is why you have to wipe properly. Now, if this is the case, why don’t baby girls who are in diapers get them all the time? Are infants and toddlers super-resistant to that sort of thing?
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