Anal Fissures - What Are The Causes Of It?

An anal fissure is almost equally prevalent amongst the male and female population. It is estimated that 1 out of 350 adults is likely to get affected by anal fissures. The incidence of anal fissures is more common amongst people aged between 15 and 40 years.

One can see bright red color in the stool due to the presence of blood, but the dark and greyish stool is not a significant symptom of anal fissure. Other possible symptoms of the anal fissure include mild or severe pain during the bowel movement, pain after the bowel movement that can last for hours, irritation or itching near the anal fissure, crack in the skin around the anus, malodorous discharge, and skin tag or small chunk on the skin near the anal fissure.

Food items such as nuts, popcorn, and tortilla chips may not get digested properly; therefore, they should be avoided if you have an anal fissure. Any constipating agent or food item should also be avoided in case of anal fissures.

Topical anesthetics such as lidocaine, xylocaine, and pramoxine are recommended to reduce the pain during defecation in patients with anal fissure. Steroids may be given in combination with topical anesthetics but in small amounts. Botulinum toxin (Botox) is also used for the treatment of anal fissure. It paralyzes the muscles by preventing the release of acetylcholine, which is responsible for muscle contraction. Botox is directly injected into the anal sphincter to relax it.