Anal Fissure Specialist

What are anal fissures?

Anal fissures are small tears that occur in the tissues that line the anus, including the sphincter. In most cases, anal fissures resolve on their own, but recurrent cases might require medical attention.

What are the symptoms of anal fissures?

The main sign of anal fissures is pain around your anus, particularly during and following bowel movements. Another symptom is bright red blood in your stool or toilet paper.

Anal fissures also have visible symptoms, including skin cracks near the anus, though you won’t be able to observe them yourself.

Who gets anal fissures?

Just about anyone can get anal fissures, as they’re caused by common events most people experience in their lives. Constipation, for example, can lead to fissures as can chronic diarrhea or inflammation caused by gastrointestinal conditions such as Crohn’s disease.

More rare causes of anal fissures can include childbirth, anal cancer, HIV, and syphilis.

How are anal fissures treated?

Your doctor can treat minor cases of anal fissures with medications. Topical anesthetic creams can help reduce pain while applications of nitroglycerin and certain blood pressure medications can help relax your sphincter and promote healing.

If more conservative treatments for your anal fissures don’t help, your provider might recommend anal dilation. During this procedure, your provider gently dilates the sphincter, allowing them to clean and cauterize the fissure to allow proper healing.

If you need help recovering from anal fissures, let the experts at Gastroenterology on Gramercy Park lend a hand. Call or schedule your consultation or online today.