What is an anal fissure?
An anal fissure (fissures) is a tear or crack in the lining of the anal canal (anus), which causes extreme pain during bowel movements. Anal fissures can affect everyone, from men and women to the young and old. It is the most common cause of rectal bleeding in childhood. A fissure is usually caused by passing hard or large stools during a bowel movement. Spasms may also occur in the muscular ring at the end of the anus.
What are the causes of an anal fissure?
Common causes of an anal fissure include large stools, constipation, straining during bowel movements, chronic diarrhea, inflammation of the anorectal area, and after childbirth. Less common causes of anal fissures are anal cancer, HIV, tuberculosis, syphilis and herpes.
The main symptoms of anal fissure is severe pain in the anus during and after defecation.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms of an anal fissure are:
- Pain, sometimes it can be intense during bowel movements.
- Pain after defecation.
- Bleeding in the stool or on the toilet paper.
- Stinging and irritation of the skin around the anus.
- A visible tear in the skin around the anus.
- A small bump on the skin near the anal fissure.
What is the treatment for an anal fissure?
An anal fissure often heals within a few weeks if stools are kept soft by increasing fiber and fluid intake. Taking a warm bath for 10 to 20 minutes daily, especially after going to the bathroom helps relax the sphincter and heals it. Your health care provider may recommend topical anesthetic creams to relieve pain. An injection of Botox (botulinum toxin type A) can paralyze the anal sphincter muscle and help relax the spasms. Blood pressure medications may also help relax the sphincter.
How to prevent an anal fissure?
Preventing constipation may help prevent an anal fissure. Constipation can be prevented by eating high-fiber foods, drinking water, and exercising regularly to avoid straining during bowel movements.
Factors that increase the risk of anal fissure
- Infancy- Experts are not sure why, but many infants develop anal fissure during the first year of life.
- Aging-As an adult ages, circulation and blood flow to the rectal area decreases.
- Constipation- Straining while trying to have a bowel movement with intensity can increase the risk of a tear.
- Childbirth- Anal fissures are common in women after giving birth.
- Crohn’s disease- Inflammatory bowel disease causes chronic inflammation of the intestinal tract, this makes the lining of the rectum vulnerable to rupture.
- Anal sex.