Fissure Treatment
An anal fissure develops in the lining of the large intestine near the anus. It is a kind of ulcer, causing pain in bowel movements. Most of these heal in a week or two. If the fissure doesn’t heal even after 8 – 12 days, visiting a doctor is recommended.
Causes
The main cause of anal fissure is an injury in the anal canal. It can happen when:
- A large stool is passed.
- Trying to pass a hard stool after constipation.
- You have diarrhea.
- Giving birth to a baby.
Symptoms
The most common symptoms of an anal fissure include:-
- Severe pain during bowel movement with a burning sensation in the anus for several hours.
- Bleeding during bowel movement.
- Blood on the stool or toilet paper.
- Lump of skin in stool or skin tear.
Diagnosis
Most of the time the patients can tell if they are having anal fissures. In some cases, the doctor might suggest some tests including:
- Physical examination.
- Anus and rectum inspection using a slender.
Complications
While anal fissures are generally not associated with any serious disease, cancer of the anus may mimic anal fissure. Complications of an anal fissure include:
- Chronic anal fissure: tear healing failure causing extensive scar tissue at Sentinel pile.
- Anal fistula: joining of the anal canal to surrounding organs through abnormal tunnels.
- Anal stenosis: the anal canal gets narrowed because of the spasm of the anal sphincter.
Treatment
Usually, medication is provided to reduce pain and increase the healing speed. Medicines may include laxatives and painkilling ointment.
In some cases, surgery may be recommended. During the surgery, the fissure and the sore tissue are removed.
Surgery is often very effective in treating fissures but it can have complications. The patient may lose temporary or permanent bowel control.
Lateral internal sphincterotomy is done to remove chronic anal fissure.
It is done laparoscopically. Dr. Sapan Jain at Shantiraj Hospital has experience of over 22 years in performing Laparoscopy. The world-class infrastructure and equipment along with Dr. Sapan Jain’s experience make Shantiraj hospital the best hospital for getting a Laparoscopic surgery done to remove anal Fissure.
How can you prevent anal fissure
By following simple measures, you can reduce the risk of getting an anal fissure. These measures include:
- Keeping the anal area dry.
- Cleaning the anal opening with warm water.
- Having a fiber-rich diet.
- Drinking plenty of fluids.
- Immediately treating diarrhea.
- Exercising daily to avoid constipation.
Takeaway
Anal fissures cause pain in bowel movements and sometimes bleeding also. Childbirth, constipation, anal sex, hard passing stools are some of the common symptoms. Previous anal surgeries, STIs, local cancers can also cause fissures.
Sometimes fissures can be treated at home by making some changes in the diet and following wound hygiene.
In case of severe fissures, getting the surgery done is the best choice. At Shantiraj, we have world-class infrastructure and equipment with an expert team of doctors to perform all kinds of surgeries.