Cuts or tears on the body are painful but they eventually heal and you forget that they were ever there. This is the same phenomena that happens with anal fissures although they may seem interminable when they are making your life miserable. Read through this article to find out how long the anal fissures healing time is and how you can speed it up.
An anal fissure is a tear or on the mucosal lining of the anus. They are very common in infants but they can affect people of all ages. The incidence of anal fissures among adults is 1 in every 350 people and they equally affect men and women. Luckily, it’s not a serious condition and it can easily be treated.
The symptoms of an anal fissure include:
An anal fissure occurs due to trauma on the anus or anal canal, causing a tear. This can happen because of many reasons like chronic constipation, chronic diarrhea, passing hard stool, rectal surgery, colon malignancy, anal infection, childbirth, inflammatory bowel disease like Crohn’s, anal cancer, and excessively tight anal sphincter muscles.
An anal fissure can occur in anyone but certain people have a higher likelihood of getting it. These are:
Infants
Infants are the main victims of anal fissures because they frequently suffer from constipation. This commonly happens when they change from an only-liquid diet to one that includes solid foods.
Older People
Anal fissures are also common in older adults because their blood flow to the anorectal area decreases.
Crohn’s Disease Sufferers
Crohn’s disease causes the inflammation of the intestinal tract which may result in the lining of the anus becoming more prone to tears.
Women Who Have Recently Given Birth
The strain of pushing a fetus out during childbirth can result in the tearing of the mucosal lining of the anal canal. Anal fissures are, thus, more common in women after childbirth.
Anal fissures can heal on their own in about 4-6 weeks without any intervention. However, if the pain is too unbearable, you can help the process along with various remedies. They can be home remedies, medicines, or surgery depending on the severity of the condition.
Warm Water
Soaking your bottom in a sitz bath of warm water goes a long way in soothing the pain and irritation of anal fissures. It also speeds up healing because it boosts blood circulation.
Aloe Vera
Fresh aloe vera gel is very good at soothing pain and itchiness. You can, therefore, apply it to the anal fissure to relieve the symptoms.
Soothing Wipes
After bowel movements, forego your usual toilet paper for soothing wipes made from compounds like hydrocortisone that soothe pain and itchiness.
Anal Fissures Formula
Natural, safe and gentle product for anal fissures. The homeopathic ingredients in H-Fissures Formula have been carefully selected to counteract the uncomfortable symptoms of fissures. For example Chamomilla assists with painful fissures and Calendula officinalis is a remarkable healing agent.
Painkillers
You can buy painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen to help reduce the pain. You can also apply topical painkillers like lidocaine to the fissure to ease your pain.
Stool Softeners
When your stool is too hard and difficult to pass, buy stool softeners at your local drugstore to make bowel movements easier.
Nitroglycerin
This is an ointment that you can apply directly to the anal fissure to improve its blood circulation so it will help with healing. It will also relax the sphincter muscle and stop spasms.
High Blood Pressure Medication
High blood pressure medication such as calcium channel blockers and nifedipine will relax the sphincter muscle so stool will have an easier time passing. They also improve blood circulation so the healing process is facilitated.
Botox Injection
This is an injection that will paralyze the sphincter muscle to reduce the spasms that hinder faster healing and increase pain.
When both home remedies and medicines don’t work, surgery will have to be your last resort. There are two types of surgeries that can be performed:
Advancement Anal Flaps
In this procedure, the surgeon removes tissue from a different part of the body and uses it to repair the anal fissure by closing it up.
Lateral Sphincterotomy
Here, the surgeon makes a small cut on the anal sphincter muscle to reduce its tension and spasms.
The main strategy of preventing an anal fissure from occurring is by reducing constipation. Here are some ways you can do that:
Take Plenty of Fiber and Water
Including enough fiber and water in your diet will add bulk to your stool and prevent constipation. Fiber can be found in abundance in nuts, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, wholemeal flour, and root vegetables. Read more HERE.
Practice Proper Toilet Habits
You should avoid straining to pass stool because it may injure the anal lining. You should also go to the toilet as soon as you feel the urge to stop stool from getting too hard.
Exercise
Exercising on a regular basis keeps food and stool moving down your gut easily. This reduces the chances of stool becoming hard. You can find special exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor HERE.
Like other types of injuries, an anal fissure requires extra care for it to heal effectively. You have a variety of treatment options to choose from so take your pick and start your healing journey today!
Read more: https://healyourhemorrhoids.com/what-are-the-types-of-anal-fissures/
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