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 Zhang Shu Kun
Traditional Chinese Medicine
41sec home-news-image

What should I do if I have bleeding and anal fissures due to excessive internal heat?

If anal fissures with bleeding occur after excessive internal heat, the acute phase can be treated with warm saltwater sitz baths. If the condition is severe, it is still best to visit a local reputable hospital and receive treatment based on a doctor's diagnosis. Regular attention must be paid to the diet, avoiding spicy, irritating, raw, and cold foods, as well as overly greasy or fried foods, to prevent aggravation of the condition. It is advisable to drink more warm water and eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Paying attention to rest is crucial, especially avoiding staying up late. Regular physical exercise can also help boost the body's resistance.

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 Wang Ji Zhong
Internal Medicine
1min 12sec home-news-image

Are anal fissures and hemorrhoids the same thing?

Hemorrhoids and anal fissures are common clinical conditions, but their symptoms are completely different. Generally, they both share a common symptom, which is the presence of rectal bleeding, and this bleeding is usually bright red blood. The difference between anal fissures and hemorrhoids is that anal fissures primarily cause pain, while hemorrhoids primarily cause bleeding. Hemorrhoids only cause severe pain when external hemorrhoids become inflamed and swollen, while anal fissures often involve enlargement of the anal papillae. Hemorrhoids do not involve enlargement of the anal papillae, and while anal fissures can involve skin tears around the anal canal, hemorrhoids do not. During a digital rectal exam, this can be diagnosed; hemorrhoids are caused by poor local venous circulation, leading to venous congestion and the formation of vascular bulges. Depending on their location, they are divided into internal and external hemorrhoids. Anal fissures are skin tears located on the more lateral parts of the anus, and during defecation, the tear worsens, bleeding and causing severe pain, whereas hemorrhoids usually do not cause severe pain.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
50sec home-news-image

How many days can an anal fissure heal?

Mild anal fissures or those with shallow cracks can generally heal within about a week through local heat application or by applying hemorrhoid cream. However, there is another type of anal fissure known as chronic anal fissure. Chronic anal fissures primarily involve ulcer-like infectious changes at the local site, hence, they cannot heal on their own and can only be alleviated by lubricating the stools and applying hemorrhoid cream locally. In some cases, conservative treatment might not be significantly effective for chronic anal fissures. If surgery is performed, the recovery time is approximately 20 days. It is recommended that patients with chronic anal fissures undergo surgical treatment with endoscopic loosening.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
1min 2sec home-news-image

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.)