Anal fissure
Anal fissures are relatively common, with an estimated 1 in every 10 people affected at some point in their life.
Anal fissures affect both sexes equally and occur in people of all ages, including very young children. However, most cases occur in children and young adults between the ages of 10 and 30.
Anal fissures usually heal within a few weeks without the need for treatment. However, they can easily recur if they're caused by constipation that remains untreated.
In some people, symptoms from anal fissures last six weeks or more (chronic anal fissures).
Adopting some simple self-help measures can make passing stools easier. This will allow existing fissures to heal, as well as reduce your chances of developing new fissures in the future.
Self-help measures for avoiding constipation include:
You can help soothe the pain by taking simple painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, or by soaking your bottom in a warm bath several times a day, particularly after a bowel movement.
Your GP can also prescribe medication to help relieve your symptoms and speed up the healing process.
This can include laxatives to help you pass stools more easily and painkilling ointment that you apply directly to your anus.
Surgery may be recommended in persistent cases of anal fissure where self-help measures and medication haven't helped.
Surgery is often very effective at treating anal fissures, but it does carry a small risk of complications, such as temporary or permanent loss of bowel control (bowel incontinence).
An anal fissure is a small lesion in the lining of the anal canal. The crack in the skin causes severe pain and some bright red bleeding during and after bowel movements.
Symptoms of an anal fissure are pain during defecation which is accompanied with a deep, severe pain which lasts for several hours, bleeding during defecation, etc. It is recommended to see a physician after experiencing the aforementioned symptoms.
Symptoms of anal fissures may pass without specific treatment. They can however return if patients to not undertake measures to prevent them, especially in trying to prevent constipation from occurring. In some patients, symptoms may last for six weeks or more (chronic fissure).
The most common cause for a fissure is frequent constipation. A few people experience defecating large and rigid feces which may damage the anal canal upon exit. Other causes include: Chronic diarrhea, ulcerative colitis, giving birth, pregnancy, sexually transmissible diseases, etc.
A doctor will take a thorough history of your symptoms and their characteristics. The doctor may perform a rectal exam, during which they may observe the patient blood and pain upon pressure.
Anal fissures usually heal within a few weeks without the need for treatment. However, they can easily recur if they're caused by constipation that remains untreated. Adopting some simple self-help measures can make passing stools easier. This will allow existing fissures to heal.