# Spicy Food & The "Ring of Fire" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 16, 2001, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spicy-food-the-ring-of-fire/93730 "2001-11-16T14:40:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drollman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f04885/32.png) [@drollman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drollman)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spicy-food-the-ring-of-fire/93730/1 "2001-11-16T14:40:48Z")
What is it (nerve endings? tender skin?) that makes the “O-Ring” burn when you’re sitting on the toilet after eating a spicy-hot meal? And would anyone have any “home remedies” for the future prevention of this phenom? In the words of Cheech Marin: “C’mon, Ice cream!” ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spicy-food-the-ring-of-fire/93730/2 "2001-11-16T14:48:48Z")
I think the medical term is “wolf-ass”. I guess it’s simply the hot stuff (capsaicin) irritating the flesh around the ol’ poop chute. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spicy-food-the-ring-of-fire/93730/3 "2001-11-16T17:16:06Z")
I’ll close this thread because the topic has been discussed so recently. I direct any further comments to the earlier thread, [Why does Mexican food make my ass burn?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=97695) bibliophage moderator GQ