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Anal sex is the practise of inserting the penis, fingers, or a strange object such as a vibrator into the anus for sexual pleasance. With the appropriate precautions, anal sexual practice is generally safe.

All the same, there are dissimilar potential risks that may not be present in vaginal or oral sex activity. For case, the anus cannot naturally lubricate itself to reduce discomfort and friction-related concerns, such as skin injuries.

This article will hash out some of the potential risks of anal sexual activity also as dispel some myths related to the practice.

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Changing condoms if moving from anal to vaginal sex avoids introducing different bacterial forms to each.

The anus lacks the cells that create the natural lubricant the vagina has. It as well does not have the saliva of the mouth. The rectum'south lining is as well thinner than that of the vagina.

Lack of lubrication and thinner tissues increase the risk of friction-related tears in the anus and rectum. Some of these tears may exist very small, but they still betrayal the skin.

Because stool that naturally contains bacteria passes through the rectum and anus when leaving the torso, the leaner tin can potentially invade the skin through these tears.

This increases the take a chance of anal abscesses, a deep peel infection that usually requires treatment with antibiotics.

How to reduce the take a chance

To minimize these risks, a person should take some precautions to foreclose the skin from tearing:

  1. Use a water-based lubricant to minimize friction-related tears.
  2. Alter condoms if moving from anal to vaginal sex activity to avert introducing different bacterial forms to each.
  3. Move slowly until a person establishes enough lubrication.
  4. Slow or stop anal sex if a person experiences pain or discomfort.

Using spermicides can as well increase the risk of anal irritation. People should avoid them during anal sexual activity.

Because anal sex activity can pb to bacterial infections in the ways we mention higher up, it tin likewise increase the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). For example, because the skin is more likely to tear during anal sexual practice than during vaginal sex, at that place is greater opportunity to spread STIs.

Examples of these include chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis, HIV, and herpes. These can be long-term conditions, every bit many STIs practise not have a cure.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "anal sex is the highest-risk sexual behavior for HIV transmission" in comparison with other forms of sexual activity, such as vaginal or oral sex.

In receptive anal sex, or bottoming, HIV is 13 times more likely to infect the bottom partner than the insertive partner.

How to reduce the risk

To minimize the take chances of STI transmission, a person should wear a condom during anal sex.

They should as well pay attention to the type of lubricant they apply, as oil-based lubricants such as petroleum jelly tin damage latex condoms. Water-based lubricants are safer to apply with condoms.

There are several water-based lubricants, such as K-Y jelly and Astroglide, available for purchase online.

A 2016 commodity in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections suggests that using saliva as a lubricant is a risk gene for gonorrhea in men who have sex with men. As a result, using a commercial lubricant may be a safer choice.

Condoms are non 100 percent constructive at preventing STIs. The CDC recommend that those who are at high gamble of HIV, such equally people who have multiple sexual partners or are in a relationship with someone who has HIV, consider taking pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP. This is a series of medications that can reduce a person'southward take chances of getting HIV.

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Anal sexual activity may irritate existing hemorrhoids, but it is unlikely to cause them.

Hemorrhoids are areas of blood vessels inside and outside of the rectum that can cause itching, slight haemorrhage, and sometimes pain.

While hemorrhoids tin be unpleasant and painful, they are hands treated and very preventable.

Anal sex can irritate existing hemorrhoids for some people. Even so, anal sexual activity itself is non probable to cause hemorrhoids if a person did not already have them.

How to reduce the run a risk

It is not always possible to forestall irritating hemorrhoids while having anal sex, but using sufficient lubricant can help minimize the irritation.

A common myth is that a woman cannot become pregnant every bit a upshot of having anal sex activity.

This is not entirely true, as information technology is possible for semen to enter the vagina after anal sex activity. While this occurrence is not likely, information technology tin can happen.

How to reduce the risk

It is important to apply a condom when having anal sex to forbid pregnancy. If the partners decide to alter from anal to vaginal sex, they should change the condom to minimize bacterial exposure.

In very rare instances, it is possible that a tear in the lining of the anus or rectum can abound larger. Doctors call this a fissure or large tear.

Sometimes, this tear is then big that it extends beyond the bowel to other parts of the torso. Doctors call this a fistula.

A fistula can be an emergency medical state of affairs because it allows stool from the bowel to go to other places in the body.

Considering stool naturally contains significant amounts of leaner, having a fistula tin can innovate bacteria to other parts of the body, leading to infections and impairment. Doctors usually suggest surgery to repair a fistula.

Over again, this is a rare merely potential complication of anal sex. For this reason, information technology is important to utilise proper lubrication and stop anal sex if hurting occurs.

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Using sufficient lubricant should reduce the risk of fecal incontinence.

Some people believe that a possible risk of anal sex is that the rectum will stretch long-term, and that this impairment tin lead to fecal incontinence. For the most part, medical experts disagree with this.

However, a 2016 study in the American Journal of Gastroenterology looked at the sexual behavior of 4,170 adults. Researchers asked the adults whether they had ever had anal intercourse, and whether they had fecal incontinence.

They constitute that 37.iii percent of the women and iv.5 percent of the men had had anal intercourse. They also found that the rates of fecal incontinence were slightly higher among men and women who had anal intercourse in comparison with those who had not. Men who had anal intercourse had a higher rate of fecal incontinence than women.

The study led the researchers to conclude there was a potential link between fecal incontinence and anal sexual activity. Withal, many experts criticized the study because information technology did not evaluate other contributing factors to fecal incontinence.

Therefore, it is hard for doctors and researchers to fully endorse the report and its results every bit evidence that fecal incontinence is a truthful possible long-term risk of anal sex.

Generally, if people take precautions that include using sufficient lubricant and refraining from intercourse if a person feels pain, they should not await to experience fecal incontinence every bit a long-term complication of anal sex activity.

Anal sex tin can be a safe and pleasurable intercourse selection for some people. If a person takes precautions, such as using water-based lubricants, they tin minimize the risks.

Communicating with a partner about any discomforts associated with anal sexual practice can likewise reduce the likelihood of friction-related injuries.

Too, those not in a monogamous sexual relationship or who desire to avoid pregnancy should use condoms to minimize the risk of STI transmission and pregnancy.