Every year, about a quarter million Americans suffer from anal fissures, tiny cuts around the anus that can cause considerable pain and discomfort. In fact, fissures can be so painful that they can make you reluctant to move your bowels, leading to more problems and additional fissure symptoms.
Understanding why anal fissures happen is the key to both prevention and treatment. In this post, Michael H. Tarlowe, MD, reviews common causes of anal fissures and the steps you can take to find relief.
Fissures typically are caused by trauma to the tissue that lines the anus. Most often, these tears develop as a result of passing very hard stool or from chronic constipation or straining during bowel movements. These actions put added pressure on the anal lining, creating tiny tears that usually form either in the back or the front of the anus.
While hard stools and straining are the most common culprits, other issues can lead to fissures or increase your risk of developing them, including:
Risk factors for anal fissures include underlying diseases, like tuberculosis (TB), anal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), or untreated sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), like syphilis, herpes, or HIV.
While many fissures are a one-time event, some people develop chronic or recurrent fissures, particularly if they’re not managed appropriately when they first occur. Some chronic fissures happen when the initial fissure increases spasms and pressure around the anus, leading to decreased blood flow. These factors increase the risk of future fissures, creating a cycle that’s difficult to break without medical intervention.
Early treatment is crucial for preventing fissures from worsening or developing complications, such as infections. Diagnosis also helps determine the cause of a fissure and rule out underlying conditions, like cancer or untreated STDs.
Many people mistakenly think the pain they’re experiencing is due to hemorrhoids, which can lead to delays in treatment. Without prompt and appropriate medical care, a fissure can lead to infections or become chronic and recurrent, requiring more complex treatment to prevent future problems and protect the anal tissue and sphincter.
Dr. Tarlowe diagnoses fissures with a physical examination. Once diagnosed, fissures can be managed with a combination of lifestyle changes, like:
For people with anal muscle spasms, Botox® injections can be very helpful in breaking the cycle associated with chronic fissures or preventing an acute sphincter from becoming chronic. For very severe fissures, Dr. Tarlowe may recommend a simple procedure called sphincterotomy to address treatment-resistant muscle spasms and promote natural healing responses.
Like most medical problems, anal sphincters respond best to early treatment. If you’re having rectal pain or bleeding, don’t ignore it. To determine the cause and explore potential solutions, please call 954-210-7127 or request an appointment online with Dr. Tarlowe in Deerfield Beach, Florida, today.
