Anal Fissures affect both men and women mostly from the ages of 20-40; however, anyone can develop anal fissures if the circumstances are right. In this post, we’ll take a look at the symptoms and risk factors of anal fissures, and answer a few common questions: what happens if a fissure goes untreated, how long do anal fissures usually last, and can anal fissures heal on their own?
The Symptoms of Anal Fissures
The most common symptom and complaint in patients with anal fissures is pain. For those that haven’t investigated and seen the visible symptoms, the main complaint is intense pain, especially during and directly after a bowel movement. If a patient is able to look at the area, they might see a visible tear in the perianal skin, a skin tag, or a lump of skin. Patients may also see streaks of bright pink blood after wiping the area. For these reasons, anal fissures are often confused with hemorrhoids.
Anal fissures are also often confused with anal fistulae, a condition that involves tunneling and the glands within the anus. Anal fissures or abscesses that don’t heal properly can turn into anal fistulae. This is why it’s so important to minimize the number of fissures you get and make sure they heal properly.
Anal Fissure Risk Factors
There are a variety of factors that contribute to an increased risk of developing anal fissures. These include constipation, straining during bowel movements, eating too little fiber in your diet, passing abnormally hard or abrasive stool, having inflammatory bowel disease, chronic diarrhea, and childbirth.
At-Home Treatment Options for Anal Fissures
So, can anal fissures heal on their own? We’d love to tell you that this is possible one hundred percent of the time, but the truth is that some anal fissures will be too severe to heal on their own without surgical intervention. If your anal fissure isn’t severe, you can try at-home healing methods such as:
Eating More Fiber
Not only will fiber make your stools easier to pass, but it will also decrease the frequency with which you go. When you bulk up your stool with fiber, you’ll be more likely to have that “one a day” bowel movement that decreases strain on your anal fissure. If you have a hard time getting more fiber into your diet, a dietary fiber supplement may help you, too.
Stool Softeners
If you find that fiber isn’t decreasing your urge to strain during bowel movements, you may want to try taking a stool softener. These drugs will increase the amount of water expelled through your stool, making it easier to pass them. This reduced strain on your anal opening may help your anal fissure heal faster.
Change the Way You Clean
Toilet paper is not only abrasive on the delicate perianal skin, but it also does a very poor job at cleaning that area. If you have recurring anal fissures, you may want to invest in a bidet or use disposable, fragrance-free wipes (just don’t flush them!). Flannel, reusable wipes are also a great option for those that don’t want the full bidet experience and don’t want to spend excess money on wipes.
Time
The most important thing to remember when healing anal fissures at home is that this process takes time. You’re dealing with an open wound in one of the worst places on the body to have one; take care of the area and clean it regularly, and keep an eye out for signs of infection. You may be wondering, how long do anal fissures usually last? While this duration will vary from patient to patient, the average amount of time it takes for a fissure to heal is about five to six weeks.
Surgical Treatment Options
So what happens if a fissure goes untreated? If your fissure isn’t getting any better at home or if you suddenly develop symptoms of infection (fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, seeping from the fissure), you need to seek out medical attention immediately. While getting any infection under control, your doctor will likely recommend surgical repair of your fissure. This surgery is called a lateral internal sphincterotomy and it alters the muscles in the anal sphincter to allow them to relax better, facilitating healing.
Anal Fissure Diagnosis & Treatment in Tampa Bay
If you think you may have an anal fissure, get in touch with our team of colorectal experts here at the Colorectal Clinic of Tampa Bay. Our doctors and nurses can help you find a set of strategies that will help you heal more quickly at home. Plus, if you end up needing surgery (this is usually unlikely), we have surgeons on staff that can assist you.