Anal Fissure
Life is all fun and games until you get an anal fissure - Alexander Abad-Santos
image by: Judy
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A Pain That’s Hard to Discuss
Anal fissures are not exactly a topic for cocktail party conversation, and the reluctance to discuss them often leaves sufferers thinking they are the only ones affected.
In fact, this potentially painful, debilitating, anxiety-provoking condition is quite common. If a fissure doesn’t heal on its own, it can usually be treated and recurrences prevented with conservative measures.
“Most people don’t know they exist because nobody wants to talk about them,” Emma Rushton of Nashville, said in an email that urged me to write about the treatment and prevention of these tiny tears in the anal opening. “Believe me, when I was struck down by mine, the last thing I wanted to do…
Resources
Bottoms Beware! Anal fissures are a real pain in the ass
“Acute fissures can heal without anal fissure surgery with an appropriate bowel regimen, as well as with the use of topical creams, suppositories, and refraining from intercourse,” Goldstein said. “However, most anal fissures that become chronic and non-healing will require surgical intervention,” he said.
Anal Fissure
Anal fissure is one of the most common anorectal problems. Anal fissure is largely associated with high anal sphincter pressures and most treatment options are based on reducing anal pressures.
Anal Fissures: A Real Pain
Anal fissures (also called fissure in ano) are a common affliction— second only to hemorrhoids in terms of patient complaints about the anus. However, researchers have been unable to estimate the true incidence of anal fissures.
How to Prevent Anal Fissures
Few health challenges can generate as much pain as a chronic anal fissure. This article explains how an anal fissure develops, and how to promote healing of an anal fissure using natural methods.
Identifying the best therapy for chronic anal fissure
This article considers if aggressive treatment should only be offered to patients who fail pharmacological sphincterotomy.
What’s the best way to go to the toilet – squatting or sitting?
People who strain excessively are more prone to developing tears of the anal lining, known as a fissure. One study in Pakistan looked at participants who had chronic anal fissures with symptoms such as painful defecation, passage of blood from the rectum and difficulty sitting. Participants adopted a squatting posture on a modified toilet seat (with their hips flexed and feet resting on an elevated stool) to help mimic a squatting position. They were found to have significantly reduced symptoms compared to the sitting position.
When Is the Right Time to Talk About Anal Fissures?
Life is all fun and games until you get an anal fissure.
A Pain That’s Hard to Discuss
Anal fissures are not exactly a topic for cocktail party conversation, and the reluctance to discuss them often leaves sufferers thinking they are the only ones affected. In fact, this potentially painful, debilitating, anxiety-provoking condition is quite common. If a fissure doesn’t heal on its own, it can usually be treated and recurrences prevented with conservative measures.
Anal Fissure Support Forum
Discuss your experiences, share your stories and get friendly help and advice. This forum provides members experience based informative help for such health issues as anal fissures, hemorrhoids, fistulas, IBS, Crohn's.
Fissure & Fistula Center of Excellence
The Fissure & Fistula Center of Excellence in Los Angeles cares deeply about creating a healthy environment not just for our patients, but for our community.
American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons
Although most anal fissures do not require surgery, chronic fissures are harder to treat and surgery may be the best option. The goal of surgery is to help the anal sphincter muscle relax which reduces pain and spasms, allowing the fissure to heal. Surgical options include Botulinum toxin (Botox®) injection into the anal sphincter or surgical division of an inner part of the anal sphincter (lateral internal sphincterotomy).
UpToDate
Once a fissure develops, the internal anal sphincter typically goes into spasm, causing further separation of the tear, constricting blood flow to the area, impairing healing and causing pain. Exposure to feces also slows healing. There are no reliable estimates of the frequency of anal fissures in the general population; some studies suggest that as many as one in five persons develop a fissure during their lifetime.
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