Anal Fissure Treatment

Anal Fissure Treatment Made Easy

I  specialise in treatment of painful per anal conditions.  He is the Colorectal Lead at the Mid Cheshire NHS Hospital Foundation Trust and Consultant Surgeon at BMI Alexandra Hospital Manchester and South Cheshire Private Hospital.  Appointments will be through your GP and you will be offered a detailed workup for the diagnosis of the condition and for excluding sinister cause to the problem.  I f the medical treatment has failed to show the improvement the clinic will provide modalities of Botox injection or chemical sphentrectomy or Internal anal sphentrectomy which is the surgical option.

 What is an anal fissure?

An anal fissure is a tear or ulcer in the lining of the anal canal, just inside the opening of your anus. They can be very painful, particularly when you are passing stools and for some time after. Anal fissures can also cause a small amount of bleeding, which you may notice in your stools, or on your toilet paper.

Anal fissures can be classified in several different ways. They can either be acute or chronic, depending on how long you have had the anal fissure. They can also either be primary or secondary, depending on the cause of your anal fissure. These classifications are outlined below.

Acute anal fissure is a fissure which has been present for less than six weeks.

Chronic anal fissure  is a fissure which has been present for six weeks, or more. Symptoms Anal fissures usually cause two main symptoms – pain and bleeding.

Diagnosis

To diagnose an anal fissure, your GP will ask you about your symptoms and the type of pain you have been experiencing. They may also about your toilet habits. The diagnosis requires external examination of your back passage.  Internal examination may not be possible due to anal pain and spasm.  EUA or examination under anaesthetic may be required if the fissure does not respond to conservative management.

Treatment

Like other small cuts or tears to the skin, an anal fissure will often heal by itself within a few weeks.  It is important to see your GP if you have the symptoms of an anal fissure because it may be caused by an underlying condition. If this condition is not treated, your fissure may not be able to heal, and the problem will recur.  Treatments include High fibre diet, laxatives, GTN paste, Botox injections.  If the condition does not respond to medical treatment surgical treatment is the next option.

 

Fibre As well as using laxative medication, you should also increase the amount of fibre you have in your diet. Foods that are high in fibre include: wholegrain bread, brown rice, pasta, oats, beans, peas, lentils, fruit, and vegetables.It is also important to make sure that you drink plenty of water.