Home :: Family Health :: Anal Fissure Anal Fissure - Anal Fissure symptom, treatment, causes
Anal Fissure is a tear in the lining of the anal canal, which usually occurs during the passage of hard faeces. Healing is often slow, being interrupted every time more hard faeces are passed and the healing edges are pushed apart.
An anal fissure is a small tear of the skin of the anus. Anal fissures are most in teenagers and young adults. Anal Fissures cause pain and bleeding, usually during or shortly after a bowel movement. An anal fissure is a benign superficial ulcer in the anal canal. It is usually about 1cm long and at its lower end there may be a tag of swollen skin.
Anal fissure are extreme pain during defecation and red blood streaking the stool. Anal fissures are common in both adults and children. Anal Fissure are not usually serious, but they are sore and can be distressing, particularly for children. It can be easily confused with haemorrhoids. A fissure may develop if you are constipated and try to pass a large, hard stool if you don't relax your anal muscles during a bowel movement or sometimes after repeated diarrhea. Anal fissure that has not healed after 6 weeks is considered long-term, or chronic.
Causes of Anal Fissure
The common Causes of Anal Fissure
- Tension.
- Constipation and straining during bowel movements
- diarrhea and inflammation of the anorectal area, such as is caused by inflammatory bowel disease.
- Anal sex (rarely).
Symptoms of Anal Fissure
Symptom are pain during and after bowel movements, bright blood on toilet paper, and anal itching during healing.
- Bright red blood on the outside of the stool or on toilet paper or wipes after a bowel movement
- Itching or irritation around the anus.
- Pain or burning during bowel movements that eases until the next bowel movement.
Treatment of Anal Fissure
- Warm baths are soothing, and may help the anus to relax which may ease the pain.
- Painkillers such as paracetamol may help to ease the pain.
- Increasing fiber in the diet, and taking stool softeners or laxatives.
- You should drink plenty of water and avoid too much tea and coffee as these can make constipation worse.
- Botulinum toxin (Botox) is gaining wider use as a treatment for chronic anal fissures.
- Creams or ointments that contain local anaesthetics such as lidocaine.
Treatment consists of keeping faeces soft so that healing can take place, by a high fibre and high fluid intake, and sometimes by faeces-softening laxatives. While the fissure is healing, local anaesthetic preparations applied before bowel movements help to ease the pain. In severe cases surgery may be needed to remove inflamed tissues or scarring around the tear.
|
