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A tear or cut in the lining of the anal canal is called an anal fissure. The anal canal is the end part of your gastrointestinal tract from where stool comes out from the body.
The tear mostly results from passing hard stools, which put extra pressure on the walls of the anal canal. The other causes can include irritation fromdiarrhea, sexually transmitted infections, anal surgery, or anal injury due to penetration.
Studies show that about half of the anal fissures recover with self-care tips such as high-fiber diet and sitz baths. Medical management is essential for more severe fissures that heal slowly and occur repeatedly.
An anal fissure can occur in people from any age group but ismore common in infants and middle-aged people. Statistics show that around250,000 people in the USA experience this condition yearly.
If you have an anal fissure, you may experience constant pain and itching in the anal area. The pain usually worsens during the bowel movement — passing stools out from the body. During bowel movements, it will feel like tearing and burning at the site of a fissure.
The fissure can also cause spasms — muscle tightness — of the anal sphincter muscles. Anal sphincter muscles are the ring of muscles that control the opening and closing of the anus.
Some other common signs and symptoms of anal fissure include:
Anal fissures can either be acute or chronic. Acute anal fissures are the ones that heal within six weeks. They are not serious and mostly heal themselves, even if left untreated.
However, chronic anal fissures take more than six weeks to recover completely. It is because chronic anal fissures heal slowly and mostly come back after the recovery. Chronic anal fissures require self-care along with medical management for the recovery.
If anal fissure is serious and left untreated, it can lead to complications which include:
Your body can heal the majority of the acute anal fissures itself. Treatment is required for the more severe and chronic anal fissures. Treatment options include:
Your doctor can recommend you the following non-surgical options for anal fissures:
Surgery is required when fissures don’t heal with non-surgical procedures. In most cases, the spasm in the anal sphincter muscles puts pressure on the anal fissure and prevents the healing.
Internal sphincterotomy is the most effective and common surgical procedure for anal fissures. In this procedure, a surgeon makes an incision to the anal sphincter muscles. The incision releases the spasm in the muscles, releasing pressure from the fissure and promoting healing.
Reports show that internal sphincterotomy has a healing rate of above 90%.
The majority of the chronic anal fissures can’t be cured at home and require medical management. In contrast, acute anal fissures aren’t severe, and you can cure them at home by following some home remedies.
Effective home remedies for anal fissures include:
A sitz bath is a simple therapy where you soak the pelvic region in warm water. Sitz bath promotes the relaxation of anal sphincter muscles and relieves pain. It increases the blood supply at the site of the anal fissure, which helps in healing.
Studies show that sitz baths can heal about 80% of acute anal fissures. It can also be effective for chronic anal fissures when used in combination with other treatment options.
Maintaining good hygiene for the anal area is important in preventing infection and promoting recovery. Clean the anal area thoroughly with water after bowel movements.
Avoid vigorous wiping with toilet paper as it can irritate the anal fissure.
Straining during the bowel movements can easily irritate the anal fissure and slows down the healing. Straining results from hard stools that are difficult to pass.
Studies show that less water intake is associated with the risk ofconstipation and hard stools. Drinking plenty of watermakes the stool soft and easy to pass during bowel movements.
Fiberadds bulk to the stool, making the stool soft and easier to pass. Adding fiber to your diet will preventconstipation and make bowel movements less straining. It reduces the risk of damage to the anal fissure and promotes healing.
Since hard stools are difficult to pass, they put pressure on the anal sphincter muscles and can harm the anal fissure.Studies show that fiber has excellent properties that can help make soft and easy-to-pass stools.
When you eat fiber, it passes the upper gastrointestinal tract without digestion.Soluble fiber absorbs water in the gastrointestinal tract and makes a gel-like substance. This gel-like substance makes the flow of stool easy and less straining to pass.
Insoluble fiber doesn’t dissolve water and becomes a part of stools in the colon. This adds bulk to the stool, making it soft and easier to pass.
By making soft stools, fiber prevents pressure on the anal fissure during bowel movements. This can prevent damage and irritation to the fissure and promote efficient healing.
Scientific data proves the effectiveness of fiber for anal fissures. Astudy shows that fiber intake promotes quick healing and prevents recurrence of anal fissures significantly.
Fiber is easily accessible and is convenient to add to your diet. Plant-based foods such as green vegetables and fruits are rich sources of fiber. Additionally, you can choose toget powdered fiber for anal fissures and plenty of other health benefits.
Besides medical management, several other factors also influence the recovery of anal fissures, such as diet and lifestyle. Some lifestyle and dietary habits promote quick recovery, while others can worsen anal fissures.
Some common factors that can worsen anal fissures are:
Studies show that people who consume a low-fiber diet experience more straining during bowel movements. This is because a low-fiber diet results in the formation of hard stools that are difficult to pass.
Straining during the bowel movements can worsen the anal fissure by putting pressure on it. This pressure can cause damage to the fissure, irritation, pain, and prolonged healing.
Like the low-fiber diet, dehydration or less water intake also leads to the formation of hard stools.Studies show that less water availability in the body also increases the risk of constipation.
Constipation or hard stools, both lead to increased straining during bowel movements. That extra pressure required to pass the hard stools can worsen the anal fissures.
Poor hygiene of the anal area increases the risk of bacterial infection. If you don’t clean the anal area thoroughly after bowel movements, bacteria can accumulate in the fissure site and cause infection. This causes increased discomfort and prevents the normal healing of the anal fissures.
An infection of the anal fissure may also lead to the formation of another painful condition calledperianal abscess. It is the formation of a pus-filled sac at the site of infection in the anal area.
Astudy shows that spicy foods worsen the symptoms of anal fissures.Capsaicin is the main ingredient in spices that can irritate the gastrointestinal tract and cause burning sensations. It can also irritate the anal fissure, increasing pain and discomfort.
Capsaicin from spicy foods can also cause diarrhea. Frequent watery stools can irritate the anal fissure and worsen the condition.
You can eat the following foods for anal fissures:
Fruits such as apples, pears, and avocados are rich in fiber. Fiber can help regulate bowel movements andprevent constipation. In addition to fiber, some fruits, such as oranges, blueberries, strawberries, and watermelon, are also rich in water.
These fruits will hydrate you and provide water for forming soft stools.
Many vegetables contain dietary fiber and can help you with anal fissures. Vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and green peas can provide the fiber necessary to prevent hard stools. Like fruits, several vegetables also contain plenty of water.
Some of the hydrating vegetables include cucumber, spinach, lettuce, and zucchini.
Whole grains are grains with all three parts intact, including bran, germ, and endosperm. In contrast, refined grains only contain endosperm. Whole grains are an excellent source of dietary fiber and also provide plenty ofother health benefits.
Whole oats, whole wheat, and whole barley are just some of the examples of whole grains that you can eat for fiber.
Lean proteins are an excellent choice for getting the required proteins for your body.Studies show that proteins accelerate wound healing and repair body tissues, which can help in anal fissures.
Some common lean protein foods are eggs, chicken breast, lean ground beef, and beans.
Herbal teas provide a soothing effect, which can help in anal fissures.Studies show that herbal teas have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which can prevent complications of anal fissures, such as infection and perianal abscesses.
Research shows that certain ingredients in herbal teas, such as Senna and Cascara, act as natural laxatives. They can be used in the management of constipation, which is a major risk to the recovery of anal fissures.
You can eat brown rice in fissure as it contains dietary fiber. Fiber can help you regulate bowel movements and prevent constipation. However, avoid consuming white rice as it is fiber-deficient and can lead to constipation.
You must avoid consuming milk in anal fissure as it worsens the condition.Studies show that milk consumption is associated with constipation and development of anal fissures.
Walking isn’t bad for anal fissure if you are careful about it. Even walking canpromote regular bowel movements and prevent constipation. Walking also improves the blood supply to the fissure site, promoting healing.
An anal fissure is a tear in the walls of the anal canal that causes pain during bowel movements. This tear usually results from passing hard stools. While most of the fissures can be cured with home remedies, some do require medical management for complete recovery.
Constipation and hard stool can harm the anal fissure and prolong the recovery. A fiber-rich diet and plenty of water intake can prevent hard stools and regulate normal bowel movements. Good hygiene is also important in efficient recovery and preventing complications.