What are Anal Fissures and How Can I Identify Them?

A tear in the anus- the opening where defecation passes- or the anal canal's lining is known as an anal fissure. The fissure may bleed and cause discomfort.

What Causes Anal Fissures

Anus and anal canal injuries can result in anal fissures. One or more of the following factors may contribute to the trauma:

• Constipation that lasts a long time
• Struggling to go to the bathroom, especially if the stool is huge, difficult, or dry
• Persistent diarrhea
• Anal straining and anal sex
• Large Objects being inserted into the anus

Other causes besides trauma include:

• Chronically bad bowel habits
• Spastic or too-tight anal sphincter muscles (muscles that control the closing of the anus)
• Anorectal scarring
• An underlying medical condition, such as inflammatory bowel disorders like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, leukemia, anal cancer, infectious diseases like TB, and sexually transmitted infections such as syphilis, gonorrhea, Chlamydia, chancroid, HIV
• Less blood flowing to the anorectal region

Anal fissures are also typical in newborns and in mothers who have just given birth.

Anal Fissures Treatment

Anal fissure treatment aims to reduce pressure on the anal canal by softening feces, as well as to relieve pain and bleeding. Conservative therapies, which may involve one or more of the following, are first tried:

• Stool softeners, increasing fluid intake while avoiding caffeine-containing items.

• To relieve the anal muscles, spend 10 to 20 minutes in a warm bath many times each day.

• Gentler cleaning of the anorectal region.

• Avoid straining or spending too much time on the toilet.

• Oiling the anorectal region with petroleum jelly.

Further Treatment

Most fissures are healed by these above techniques within a few weeks to a few months. However, alternative steps can be taken when therapies are unsuccessful and anal fissures continue to exist or return, such as:

• Using suppositories, foams, or creams that include hydrocortisone to treat inflammation
• Using additional creams and ointments. These might be an anti-inflammatory cream to aid in mending the fissure, a topical muscle relaxant to loosen the anal muscles, an anesthetic ointment to lessen discomfort if it prevents you from going to the bathroom, or an ointment containing nitroglycerin or calcium channel blockers.
• Injecting the anal sphincter with type A botulinum toxin. The anal sphincter muscle is momentarily paralyzed by the injection, which reduces discomfort and aids in recovery.
• Surgery

Symptoms of Anal Fissure

Anal fissure warning signs and symptoms include:

• Pain with a bowel movement and for several hours afterward
• Constipation
• The outside of the stool was covered in blood.
• Blood on bathroom paper or wipes
• A clear fissure or rip in the anal canal or anus
• Irritation and burning that might be hurtful
• Urinary discomfort, frequent urination, or difficulty urinating
• Stench-filled discharge

Anal fissure surgery

Your doctor will reexamine you and could perform more tests to ascertain why prior therapies have failed to repair the fissure before surgery is recommended.

Scarring or internal anal sphincter muscle spasms might cause a fissure that does not heal. Surgery often involves cutting a tiny piece of the internal anal sphincter muscle to relieve discomfort and spasms and promote healing of the fissure. Rarely does losing the capacity to regulate bowel motions as a result of muscle cutting.

Contact Us

If you have more questions about anal fissures or would like to seek help regarding them contact us here at BASS Medical Group.  The sooner you contact us the sooner you can get the help you need.