What is it? Anal itch, also known as pruritus ani, is an irritating, itchy sensation around the anus (the opening through which stool passes out of the body). Anal itch is a symptom, not an illness, and it can have many different causes. In most cases, a person with anal itch does not have a disease of the anus or rectum. Instead, the itchy sensation is a sign that one or more of the following.