Anal Fissure

Anal fissures are small tears in the lining of the anus that can make passing stool incredibly painful as well as causing spasming after a bowel movement. Anal fissures are often characterized by a sharp pain with or without bleeding during bowel movements with lingering pain and/or discomfort afterward. At Proctology Institute, with offices in Beverly Hills and Huntington Beach, California, our board-certified proctologist Dr. Ghodsian offers best-in-class care for anal fissures using advanced strategies. If you have anal pain or bleeding, don’t wait. Call the nearest office at the Proctology Institute or click the easy online booking tool now. 

WHAT IS AN ANAL FISSURE? 

An anal fissure is a split or tear in the anal opening. The depth of the tear can sometimes extend all the way to the internal anal sphincter muscles. Oftentimes, this results in a spasm and severe pain during and after a bowel movement. Anal fissures can cause severe pain and often lead to rectal bleeding. Many other problems, such as hemorrhoids, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and anal cancer, may also cause anal pain. If you are experiencing pain and anal bleeding, it’s important to see your Proctology Institute provider for diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible. 

HOW CAN YOU TELL IF YOU HAVE AN ANAL FISSURE? 

Anal fissures usually cause a sharp or stinging type pain. The pain starts with a bowel movement and can continue for as long as a few hours afterward. With an anal fissure, blood is typically bright red. Blood may appear in the toilet water, on your stool, or on the toilet paper when you wipe. Some people with anal fissures also have muscle spasms in the anal sphincter, the tight circle of muscles that maintains continence. Sometimes, anal fissures can be accompanied by sentinel skin tags, which are firm growths of excess skin that develop near the fissure.

HOW DO YOU GET AN ANAL FISSURE? 

Anal fissures develop due to straining or trauma on the anal opening, usually after a hard bowel movement. Examples include: 

• Chronic constipation 
• Passing a very large, dry, and/or hard stool 
• Diarrhea 
• Crohn’s disease 
• HIV 
• Perianal tuberculosis 
• Childbirth 
• Anal intercourse 
• Trauma 

WHAT IS THE BEST TREATMENT FOR ANAL FISSURES? 

Anal fissures sometimes heal naturally, but you may need treatment to ease your symptoms and speed up the recovery process. Depending on where your fissure is located as well as taking into account prior medical history, your provider at Proctology Institute will recommend a customized treatment plan. Some suggestions include: 

• Drinking plenty of water to soften stool 
• Eating more fiber 
• Stool-softeners 
• Sitz baths to relax the sphincter muscles 

Most anal fissures respond to nonsurgical treatment and at-home remedies. But, if you have a severe painful fissure that is not improving, book a consultation with a Proctologist. 

Non-surgical treatment options may include: 

Personalized compounded creams to relax the sphincter muscle and relieve pain 

Surgical treatment options may include: 

• Lateral internal sphincterotomy: In this procedure, your surgeon removes a small portion of the anal sphincter muscle to help encourage healing as well as to ease anal pain and spasms. 

• Fissurectomy: In this procedure, your surgeon removes the scarred superficial skin around the fissure along with the sentinel skin tag (if present). This encourages the fresh wound to heal naturally without the presence of scar tissue. A fissurectomy can be performed in conjunction with a lateral internal sphincterotomy. 

Call Proctology Institute or book your appointment online to get help with anal pain and bleeding today.