Can anal fissures cause blood clot or blood loss?

An anal fissure is one of the most overlooked medical conditions out there. What many do not know, however, is that its effects should be taken seriously especially if the condition is chronic or prolonged. What can anal fissures do to the body? Can anal fissures cause blood clot or blood loss? These are just a few of several effects to be expected when one has a fissure.

Pain

Anal fissures are technically wounds in nature as they are caused by the lining in the anal and rectal areas opening up due to stress. Whenever a fissure is formed, one should expect a sharp, stinging sensation to follow immediately which would last for a few hours. The pain is chronic which means that it will reoccur until the fissure is closed.

One thing to remember is that the area round the anus has multiple nerve endings which can make the pain unbearable especially if the fissure is formed over multiple endings. This could make the act of sitting and even defecating uncomfortable in some cases. Fortunately, there are ointments in the market that contain compounds like lidocaine which should numb the nerve endings for a few hours.

Infection

The anus is the body’s major passageway for all kinds of solid waste. These materials, in turn, would come into contact with the fissure which causes the area to redden and eventually form pockets of yellowish liquid. This is the body’s way of fighting off bacteria found in solid waste which can do damage if they actually get into the bloodstream (a major risk if the fissure is still fresh).

Since the area has swollen and reddened, it can be expected that the sensation of pain is going to worsen. Also, one should expect for the yellowish discharge to break of the skin and ooze out especially if they have reached a certain size. This effect can last and be chronic in nature until the fissure has been closed.

Bleeding

Can anal fissures cause blood clot or blood loss? The answer is yes but how it does this depends from one case to another. Since fissures are wounds in nature, there will be blood involved especially during the first few days after the fissure was formed. As a matter of fact, the presence of blood in your stool and in whatever you use to wipe the anal area will be your first sign that you have an anal fissure.

However, bleeding might be more severe and chronic in nature if the fissure forms over a major blood vessels. The blood will also be quite fresh so expect it to take on a bright, crimson shade as it pours out.

Naturally, the body will try to close the wound within a few hours so clotting will be expected. This will act as the body’s attempt to seal the opening and prevent foreign objects from entering into the bloodstream. If the fissure is deep enough, the bleeding should reoccur from time to time especially if one continuously passes hard stools and experiences multiple infections in the affected area.