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Anal fissure
How to examine anal fissures in women
If a woman suspects symptoms of an anal fissure, it is recommended to directly perform a digital rectal examination rather than an anoscopy, to avoid worsening the condition by potentially tearing local fissures with the anoscope. Typically, an anal fissure presents with severe local pain in the anus, bleeding during bowel movements, and accompanying hard stools. Therefore, the initial treatment should focus on softening the stool, for which one can take oral hemp seed oil capsules to facilitate bowel movements. Additionally, applying Recovery New liquid as a hot compress on the local fissures can help alleviate symptoms and promote healing. If there is anal constriction, anal dilation therapy might be chosen, or treatment may involve a lateral internal sphincterotomy. (Please use the above medications under the guidance of a physician, and do not use them indiscriminately on your own.)
Is anal fissure serious?
People often ask whether anal fissures are serious and what the consequences might be if they are not treated. Although treating anal fissures is not particularly difficult clinically, many patients, due to a lack of treatment knowledge and awareness of the condition, often delay treatment, which can cause some harm to their health. If an anal fissure is not treated, in addition to the pain during bowel movements and bleeding that the fissure itself causes, over time, it could also lead to conditions such as anal fistula and hypertrophied anal papillae. At the end of the fissure, a sentinel pile may develop. Due to the repeated irritation by fecal matter in an inflamed fissure, a linear ulcer may form. The skin and subcutaneous tissue around the anus might undergo fibrosis, thickening, or. form a hard lump. If the fissure repeatedly becomes infected, it can lead to the development of an anal sinus, and after infection, it may cause subcutaneous fistulas or abscesses. Of course, if an anal fissure persists over time, due to long-term spasm and fibrosis of the internal sphincter, it can lead to consequences such as anal stenosis.
What should be paid attention to usually for anal fissures?
What should I pay attention to for anal fissures? Friends who suffer from anal fissures should note the following: Firstly, pay attention to your diet. Adjust your diet structurally to be diverse. Drink plenty of water and eat less spicy and stimulating food; abstain from alcohol and betel nuts; eat less spicy hot pot and similar foods. Also, maintain a smooth bowel movement. We should develop a habit of defecating regularly, and treat constipation correctly. However, in treating constipation, we should not misuse laxatives and should use medications under the proper guidance of a doctor. We should also pay attention to keeping the anal area clean and hygienic by washing it after each bowel movement. After defecation, it is best to perform sitz baths using salt water, traditional Chinese medicine pain relievers like Shen Tang, or potassium permanganate solution. This helps in the recovery of the anal fissure. In addition to the above, we should also engage in appropriate activities. Friends with anal fissures can perform anal muscle contractions, such as Kegel exercises or stretching exercises.
Can anal fissures be cured completely?
Anal fissures are a curable condition, so do not worry. Anal fissures are relatively common in clinical practice and are a frequently occurring disease. Fresh anal fissures, which are of short duration and have small fissures, can be treated and cured using methods such as fumigation, oral medications, or rectal insertion. For older, chronic anal fissures, surgical treatment can be administered, including methods like the Milligan-Morgan technique or fissurectomy, all of which can achieve a cure. However, anal fissures are related to lifestyle and dietary habits, so even after healing, it is important to be cautious of various triggering factors to prevent recurrence.
What should be paid attention to for anal fissures usually?
Patients with anal fissures primarily develop the condition due to a history of dry stools or straining during early bowel movements. Therefore, it is important for patients to ensure smooth bowel movements and avoid excessive dryness of stools. Diet adjustments should include consuming more bland vegetables and fruits, and avoiding spicy foods such as chili peppers, seafood, and mutton, which are irritants. Additionally, ensuring adequate daily water intake is crucial to prevent dryness in the intestinal feces. Besides dietary and bowel adjustments, patients with anal fissures should actively seek medical treatment during acute episodes to prevent the recurrence of early fissures and the formation of chronic fissures. Early-stage fissures may be treated with topical medications to alleviate symptoms, while chronic fissures may require surgical intervention. (Medication should be administered under the guidance of a doctor.)
How to treat postpartum constipation and anal fissures?
In cases of postpartum constipation, if it becomes severe and leads to an anal fissure, it is necessary to visit the hospital's proctology department for an examination. When an anal fissure occurs, it generally requires the use of medications to invigorate blood and dissolve stasis to facilitate wound healing. You can also apply some grease around the wound to increase the lubrication of the muscles around the anus, which can alleviate some of the difficulties experienced during defecation. In daily life, it is important to drink more water, consume plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits, avoid spicy and irritating foods that can cause internal heat, and you can also use a potassium permanganate solution for sitz baths to alleviate local pain. If the condition of the anal fissure is severe, surgical treatment may be necessary.
What should pregnant women do about constipation and anal fissures?
During pregnancy, due to some special reasons, pregnant women are prone to constipation, and severe cases may develop anal fissures, bleeding, and pain. In such cases, it is first necessary to change the diet to a light one, eat more vegetables and fruits, drink more water, and develop good bowel habits. Avoid squatting for long periods. Additionally, enemas can be used to help with bowel movements, and anti-inflammatory ointments can be applied locally to the anal fissure area for disinfection. Using warm water for sitz baths can also relieve the pain from constipation and anal fissures. Routine abdominal and anal massages can alleviate symptoms and promote bowel movements.
Do anal fissures need treatment?
Anal fissures require treatment. If the patient has a very mild case, there is a possibility of self-healing, though this is not very likely. For initial cases, where the fissure is small, one could consider treatment methods such as Chinese herbal fumigation, topical medications, or potassium permanganate sitz baths, all of which can achieve therapeutic effects. If the patient suffers from recurrent long-term episodes, and the fissure is deep, surgical treatment may need to be considered. This condition falls under the category of proctologic diseases. Patients can visit the proctology department where a doctor will examine them and choose an appropriate surgical method. Complete recovery is possible, so there is no need to worry. To prevent this condition, it is important to maintain smooth bowel movements, ensure cleanliness in the affected area, and avoid infections.
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.
What should not be eaten with anal fissure?
Patients with anal fissures should be cautious with their diet, avoiding spicy and irritating foods to prevent exacerbation. They should also consume foods rich in roughage, such as cornmeal, sweet potatoes, celery, leeks, and cabbage, which can facilitate bowel movements and prevent the aggravation of anal fissures due to dry stools. Additionally, alcohol should be avoided as it may dilate blood vessels and lead to increased bleeding. It is essential for patients with anal fissures to maintain smooth bowel movements and avoid sitting or squatting for extended periods.