How embarrassing right, but I have been diagnosed with an Anal Fissure. It is the most painful thing I have ever felt and I am having a hard time dealing with this. It has only been a few days since I was seen and I am on stool softeners and trying a high fiber diet. I have been prescribed nitroglycerin for the area and a muscle relaxer (I haven't gotten them filled yet). I am taking Ibuprofen 800mg tablets in hopes that it will reduce the inflammation. I really need some good advice and home treatments for this. I have to use the bathroom but am having very big anxiety over doing so as I know how much pain I will be in and how much bleeding is going to occur. Please let me know how to deal with this. Thanks everyone!
2009-11-08T22:16:33Z
Thanks everyone so far. I tried to go but couldn't... and I took a nice hot bath. I am going to get my prescriptions filled tomorrow and buy some Preperation H?? This is worse than child birth and the C-Section.
Anonymous2009-11-08T21:10:49Z
Favorite Answer
Warm baths actually help. It tends to be soothing and will help the anus to relax which helps with the pain.
You can also get an anaesthetic cream which will help with the pain too. You can buy this OTC or get it on prescription. If that doesn't help then a steroid cream might help too, this is particularly useful if you have a lot of inflammation around the fissure. Steroids will help to reduce inflammation and any swelling around a fissure.
Continue with painkillers, but you must avoid codeine because it commonly causes constipation.
If none of that works then Glyceryl trinitrate ointment is the next option. This will help relax the anal sphincter muscle and quicken healing. Calcium antagonists may also have the same effect too.
Don't put off going to the toilet, I know it's painful but if you keep putting it off, this will result in larger stools needing to pass and this will be more painful.
Hi I have had this too. It reopened a third time recently but it wasn't as bad this time.
The stinging/throbbing pain the first two times was ridiculous. Pain from broken arms/migraines was nothing in comparison. Ibuprofen, paracetamol etc. were totally useless. I think you need to try something topical like the nitroglycerin (it can give you bad head aches apparently - I haven't had to use it since I got it prescribed).
I found that the baths helped but continually rewetting the area was prolonging the irritation and pain. This might be worth a try in addition : get a table fan, turn up to the maximum, get on all fours and have it blow cold air onto the area. Looks very odd but what the hell, I felt it worked for me...
PS fybogel is what I use to keep bowels loose enough - it's a fibre drink (you can get it on prescription in the UK anyway)
Your body will eventually heal itself. I dealt with this for a couple months and the only thing that got me to the bathroom when I had to go was knowing how much WORSE it would be if I held it. Don't push at all, keep breathing while your body pushes your poop out. Keep up with that high fiber diet and go as soon as you feel the urge. The longer you hold it, the more there's going to be to come out which means the bigger it will be and the more it will hurt. Sux, I know but you just gotta get through it. Best of luck.
One thing that can help with the pain is that topical aloe vera + lidocaine gel they sell for sunburns. It'll burn like fire at first, but then it goes numb. Use this ointment before you use the bathroom and it might help. Also when you are wiping, make sure the tissue is lubricated with that ointment. If you had a bidet that'd be better since you don't have to worry about friction fromt he tissue, but what I suggested should help with that.
You poor thing, though, and don't be embarassed. Everyone has to deal with stuff like this.
Just go to the doctor. There is no reason to be embarrassed by the doctor who has to keep all the records private but yet here the whole world can see. It is possible for it to get infected there as its an open wound and probably not the easiest place to keep clean.