Anal Fissure – Symptoms and Causes

Overview

Anal fissures are small tears in the lining of the anus, which is the opening where stool leaves the body. These tears often happen because of constipation or when someone passes hard or large stools.

When a person has an anal fissure, they typically feel pain and notice bleeding during bowel movements. The anal sphincter, a ring of muscle around the anus, may also spasm.

These fissures can affect anyone, but they’re especially common in babies.

The good news is that most anal fissures heal with basic treatments. These include:

  • Eating more fiber
  • Taking warm-water baths

For some people, these simple steps aren’t enough. They might need medicine to help with healing. In certain cases, surgery becomes necessary when other treatments don’t work.

Signs and Discomfort

People with an anal tear may notice several key signs:

  • Pain when having a bowel movement
  • Lasting pain for hours after using the bathroom
  • Bright red blood on toilet paper or stool
  • Visible crack in the skin around the anus
  • Small bump or skin tag near the tear

When You Should Consult a Healthcare Provider

If you feel pain during bowel movements or see blood on your stool or toilet paper afterward, it’s important to contact a healthcare provider. These symptoms might indicate an anal tear or another condition that needs proper treatment.

Don’t delay seeking medical advice if these signs appear.

What Causes Anal Fissures

Anal fissures often develop when large or hard stools stretch the anal canal during bowel movements. Constipation and straining are common triggers. Other frequent causes include:

  • Ongoing diarrhea
  • Anal intercourse
  • Childbirth

Some medical conditions can also lead to anal fissures, though less commonly:

  • Inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease
  • Anal cancer
  • Certain infections (HIV, tuberculosis, syphilis)

Risk Factors

Several factors can raise your chance of getting an anal fissure:

  • Constipation: When you strain to pass hard stools, you’re more likely to tear the anal tissue.
  • Childbirth: Women who have given birth face a higher risk of developing fissures.
  • Chronic bowel inflammation: Conditions like Crohn’s disease can weaken the anal canal lining, making it tear more easily.
  • Anal intercourse: This activity can cause tissue damage in the area.
  • Age: While fissures can happen at any age, they occur more frequently in babies and adults in their middle years.

The strain on anal tissues during these situations often leads to small tears that can be painful and difficult to heal.

Possible Problems

When an anal fissure occurs, several complications may develop:

  • Healing problems – If a fissure doesn’t heal within eight weeks, doctors consider it chronic and may recommend additional treatments.
  • Return of symptoms – People who have had one anal fissure are more likely to develop another in the future.
  • Deeper tearing – Sometimes a fissure can extend into the internal anal sphincter (the muscle that keeps the anus closed).

When a fissure reaches the sphincter muscle, healing becomes much more difficult. This can create an ongoing cycle of pain and discomfort.

In these cases, medication or surgery might be necessary to relieve pain and either repair or remove the damaged tissue.

Prevention

You may prevent anal fissures by avoiding constipation and diarrhea. This requires some daily habits that keep your digestive system working smoothly.

Key prevention strategies:

  • Eat foods high in fiber
  • Drink plenty of fluids
  • Exercise regularly

These simple steps help make bowel movements easier, reducing strain that can cause fissures.


Related Questions

Responses are AI-generated