What should be paid attention to for anal fissures?

Written by Li Xiao Jie
Internal Medicine
Updated on September 02, 2024
00:00
00:00

The occurrence of anal fissures is highly related to constipation. Therefore, for patients with anal fissures, treating and preventing constipation is the most important approach. It is advisable to eat more vegetables and fruits, consume fewer spicy and stimulating foods, and reduce the intake of greasy foods. The diet should be light, drink more water, and pay attention to local hygiene. Furthermore, patients with anal fissures should avoid sitting or squatting for long periods to prevent aggravating the condition. If symptoms such as fever, difficulty defecating, or severe pain around the anus occur, it is crucial to visit a hospital for examination to rule out other conditions. Regular participation in physical exercise is recommended to promote intestinal movement and facilitate defecation.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Xu Jun Hui
General Surgery
48sec home-news-image

How to treat hemorrhoids, bloody stool, and anal fissures?

Hemorrhoids and anal fissures are two different conditions. Generally, the early treatment for anal fissures is similar to that for early hemorrhoids, which is conservative treatment. This includes ensuring smooth bowel movements, preventing constipation, avoiding dry stools, preventing prolonged bowel movements, and avoiding sitting still for long periods. If the amount of bleeding is small, conservative treatment as mentioned above, along with the application of local medication around the anus, can control the symptoms. Regularly consume vegetables and dietary fiber. If there is severe bleeding from hemorrhoids or severe pain due to a large fissure in anal fissures, relevant examinations should be conducted. After ruling out other conditions, surgery may be necessary.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Hu Xiang Dang
Colorectal Surgery Department
2min 20sec home-news-image

symptoms of anal fissure

What are the symptoms of an anal fissure? The most typical symptoms of an anal fissure are clinically manifested in three aspects: pain, rectal bleeding, and constipation. Firstly, constipation: Many patients with anal fissures generally first exhibit symptoms of constipation. Then, due to the dryness and bulkiness of the stool, the skin around the anus tears, forming an anal fissure. Subsequently, because of anal pain, the patient fears defecation, which over time exacerbates the hardness of the stool. As constipation worsens, it can aggravate the fissure, thereby creating a vicious cycle. The second main symptom is pain, which is not only the most significant symptom of an anal fissure but also potentially the most intensely felt by the patient. The skin around the anus is sensitive, and damage to this skin can cause significant pain. The degree and duration of the pain can also indicate the severity of the fissure. Typically, the pain from an anal fissure is cyclical. It usually occurs during defecation, followed by a few minutes of relief. Then, pain is stimulated by the contraction of the internal anal sphincter, causing sustained spasms of the sphincter, leading to severe pain. This pain can last for several minutes or even hours. During this time, the patient may feel extremely uncomfortable and find it unbearable, some only finding relief when the sphincter muscles relax after fatigue. Then, the pain reoccurs with the next bowel movement, characterized by its cyclic nature. The third main symptom is rectal bleeding. Patients may notice droplets of blood during defecation, sometimes spotting a few drops of bright red blood in the toilet bowl or seeing streaks of blood on the stool, occasionally mixed with intestinal mucus. When wiping the anus, sometimes the toilet paper shows red blood. However, the amount of bleeding is related to the size and depth of the fissure—the larger and deeper the fissure, the more bleeding occurs. Additionally, some patients may experience itching around the anus. The ulcerated surface of the fissure, along with secretions from the anal glands, irritates the skin around the anus, which can lead to perianal eczema and itching.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
58sec home-news-image

Postpartum anal fissure

Postpartum anal fissures are a common symptom during natural childbirth. They occur when there is a tear in the anal area during the delivery of a child. This condition mainly leads to pain in the anal region for women after giving birth, especially during bowel movements. When dealing with postpartum anal fissures, it is important to maintain cleanliness and hygiene in the affected area. Each evening, washing with warm water or a potassium permanganate solution, which has cleansing and anti-inflammatory properties, can effectively alleviate pain in the anal area. Additionally, it is beneficial to consume foods that facilitate bowel movements, such as fresh vegetables and fruits that are rich in dietary fiber, as they can effectively promote gastrointestinal motility and improve constipation.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Hu Xiang Dang
Colorectal Surgery Department
1min 1sec home-news-image

What is an anal fissure?

What is an anal fissure? In clinical practice, we often encounter patients asking this question. An anal fissure is a crack in the skin around the anal canal; simply put, it is a split in the skin at the anus. The direction of the split aligns with the direction of the anal skin's folds. Of course, not all cracks in the anal skin are called anal fissures. It is only considered an anal fissure if there is a full-thickness split in the skin at the anus. If it is a superficial skin split, it is referred to as an anal skin laceration or fissuring, such as those caused by certain anal itching diseases, which are in fact fissures in the anal skin. Anal fissures commonly occur at the “anterior and posterior midline” of the anus, which is similar to the directions of 6 o'clock and 12 o'clock as described on a clock face. Doctors often describe these as positions at 6 o'clock and 12 o'clock.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Yu Xu Chao
Colorectal Surgery
57sec home-news-image

How to distinguish between anal fissures and hemorrhoids

To distinguish between anal fissures and hemorrhoids, one can first differentiate based on symptoms. Anal fissures primarily cause pain during defecation and minor bleeding, with the pain typically lasting from 20 minutes to half an hour. Patients often have hard stools or constipation. In contrast, hemorrhoids primarily lead to intermittent painless rectal bleeding. The blood is bright red and usually in greater volume, often appearing in a spraying or dripping pattern after defecation. Some patients may also experience prolapsed hemorrhoids, often accompanied by a sensation of heaviness and foreign body in the anus. Further, through a digital rectal examination, an anal fissure can be identified by a palpable ulcer or crack at the posterior or anterior midline of the anus. Hemorrhoids, being soft venous clusters, can also be differentiated through this examination.