Postpartum anal fissure

Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
Updated on March 06, 2025
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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.

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Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
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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.

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Written by Li Xiao Jie
Internal Medicine
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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.

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Written by Hu Xiang Dang
Colorectal Surgery Department
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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.

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Written by Deng Heng
Colorectal Surgery
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The main causes of anal fissures

The main causes of anal fissure formation may be related to the following factors: long-term constipation and hard stools, which cause mechanical damage during defecation as the direct cause for most anal fissures. It is also related to anatomical defects. Due to the superficial layer of the external sphincter forming a weak area at the back of the anal canal, dry stools exert the greatest pressure on the weak area at the back of the anus, making it prone to tearing injuries. Additionally, infection of the anal sinuses can lead to inflammation of the anal canal, and spasms of the sphincter losing its soft characteristics is also a reason for the formation of anal fissures. Furthermore, hard and dry fecal masses passing through the anal canal can easily cause tearing injuries, possibly due to the smaller size of the patient's anus.

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Written by Wang Hui Jie
Gastroenterology
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Can diarrhea cause anal fissures?

Diarrhea may cause anal fissures. An anal fissure refers to a full-thickness vertical tear in the skin of the anal canal below the dentate line, forming an ischemic ulcer. It is commonly found in young and middle-aged adults, and the exact mechanism of its development is not very clear. It is mainly related to local muscle spasms and infection following injury. The main symptoms include severe, sharp pain during and after bowel movements, along with occasional light, bright red bleeding. There may also be constipation and anal discharge. If the skin of the anal canal is chronically irritated by prolonged diarrhea, causing skin damage, it is very likely to lead to an anal fissure.