Is an anal fissure a type of hemorrhoid?
Disease description:
Recently, I have noticed severe pain in the anal area during bowel movements, and there has been blood on the stool. After visiting the hospital for examination, I was diagnosed with an anal fissure.
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Li Jingxiang
Anal fissures and hemorrhoids are both common anorectal diseases, but they are not the same condition.
An anal fissure refers to a tear in the skin and mucous membrane lining the anal canal, typically occurring at the posterior midline of the anus. The main symptoms are severe pain during bowel movements and persistent pain afterward, sometimes accompanied by bleeding. For treatment, mild anal fissures can be managed with dietary adjustments, maintaining regular bowel movements, local heat application, and medication, while severe or chronic fissures may require surgical intervention.
Hemorrhoids result from improper diet, prolonged standing or sitting, or poor bowel habits, leading to varicose veins in the rectal and anal mucosa and lower rectum, forming venous clusters. Symptoms of hemorrhoids include anal pain, itching, and rectal bleeding; severe cases may lead to complications such as anemia and thrombosed external hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids can be treated with medications such as hemorrhoid suppositories and compound alginate ester suppositories, and surgery may be necessary for severe cases.
