Where does the anal fissure come from and can it become infected?

By | July 1, 2017

What is anal fissure? It is a condition where the lining of the opening of the anus become damaged or torn which could cause hemorrhoids and other more conditions. These fissures usually cause discomfort to people because of severe pain and bleeding during defecation. The pain could be felt even in simple movements like when just sitting on a chair, which makes this condition really uncomfortable to those experiencing it. Anal fissure is common in the general population and it can occur at any age. Some symptoms include pain and bleeding during bowel movement, as well as severe pain after defecating which may last for few hours.

What causes anal fissures? This condition occurs due to hard bowel movement along the anus which tears the inner lining of the anus. Because the rectal area is not very elastic, much pressure on this area could result to bleeding. Specifically, the muscle involved in this condition is the anal sphincter muscle. Some patients who experienced this stated that they saw blood on their stool. Aside from hard bowel movement, another cause of this condition could be diarrhea.

When a person experience diarrhea, the anal sphincter muscle or the muscle which pushes the stool out, is being brought into subsequent pressure due to consecutive bowel movement. Thus, the blood flow decreases because of this pressure. This factor is the reason why the healing of the damage or fissure in the rectal area is slowed down. This condition could occur acutely or in a more chronic form. The chronic form of this typically lasts from eight to twelve weeks. Moreover, if the acute condition is not given proper treatment or attention, it may result to a more chronic form. Some even develop an external lump on the anus and this makes it difficult to treat. However, if treated early, it will not result to serious complications.

Anal fissures could last long if not treated, for the reason that the blood supply in the linings of the anus decreases due to the pressure in the anal sphincter muscle. This prevents the wound to heal fast and as a result, the wound becomes more exposed to different kinds of bacteria.  With this stated, there is a chance that the exposed wound could possibly result to complications like infections. Furthermore, this condition can easily be misdiagnosed with other conditions like hemorrhoids. Its symptoms are very similar to this condition that is why it is often left untreated. This causes the tear in the lining of the anus to be more prone to serious infections.

Health is often taken for granted. Many almost never pay attention to it unless their body speaks for itself. Conditions like this is an example. Anal fissures are better and easier to be prevented than to be treated. This being said, it’s important to take care of your health and make a habit of watching what you eat. Through this, you could avoid complications within your body. Prevention is always better than treatment.