What causes an anal fissure?
Disease description:
In the past few days, I have noticed severe pain during bowel movements, along with bright red blood on the surface of the stool. After an examination, a small tear was found near the anus, and the doctor diagnosed it as an anal fissure. How does an anal fissure develop?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Li Jingxiang
An anal fissure refers to a small ulcer formed after a tear in the lining of the anal canal. The main symptoms are severe pain and bleeding during bowel movements. The bleeding is usually minimal, bright red in color, and often adheres to the surface of the stool. Causes of anal fissures include chronic constipation leading to dry stools, excessive straining during bowel movements, anal sphincter spasm, local infection, and anal canal stenosis. Among these, constipation is the most common cause because hard stools can injure the anal mucosa when passing through, resulting in a tear.
For the treatment of anal fissures, patients can adjust their diet to increase fiber intake and maintain regular bowel movements to prevent constipation. Warm water sitz baths or herbal sitz baths can also be used to improve blood circulation around the anus. If symptoms are severe or fail to heal over time, surgical treatment may need to be considered.
