Chronic Anal Fissures

Hi everyone, this may sound strange at first but please try heat packs to stop the pain. I'm a 34 year old male who was suffering from 2 fissures for about 10 months. I got them from a botched banding procedure. The best thing you can use to stop the pain, in addition to diet change, is Heat packs. Really, heat packs. I was in so much endless pain from the fissures until I found relief by using heat packs. Take a heat pack, one of those ones filled with silicon beads that you heat in the microwave for a few minutes that then stay warm for about 40 minutes or so. You can find them at most pharmacies.

Gently press the heat pack directly up against your anus and keep it there, the heat forces the muscle to relax and stops the spasms, which stops the pain caused by the fissure. You can use a hot water bottle too as long as you can mold it to place up against your anus. Seriously. This saved me from so much endless fissure pain, it's like a concentrated hot bath focused directly where you need it, but without the inconvenience of running a bath and being stuck in a bath just to get relief. (I know baths are nice and all but not really always practical or accessible)

Best position is to lie on your back in bed, put your knees up like you’re going to do a sit up and then place the heat pack between your legs right up against your bum hole. Sorry for the graphic image but I can't really think of another way to describe it. Just be careful not to burn yourself, you want the heat pack/heat bag or hot water bottle to be hot but not so hot you burn your skin. It helps to wrap it in a pillow case that's soft and then if your heat pack is too hot, wrap it in more layers of the pillow case, which will protect you a bit more if it's too hot at first.

Before the heat packs I was taking dangerous amounts of pain meds to deal with the fissure pain which for me was all the time, including during the nights which were really hard... until I discovered the heat pack. Which thank God I did because they really work. Please try them, I understand this might seem silly and I haven't read it anywhere else but I know the suffering from fissures and this will help keep the pain at bay. Seriously, heat packs, heat bags or a hot water bottle pressed lightly up against your anus and held there, keep it held there and it will work. I sometimes keep it there for 15 minutes or more and then I take it off. Then when the pain starts up again I'll put it back and the muscle relaxes and the pain go's.

Try it. I had tried everything from which hazel oil in my bum to manuka honey in my bum (my wife called me sweet cheeks because of the honey), but the best thing to stop the pain has been the heat packs. Heat relaxes the muscle, stopping the spasm and the pain.

Ultimately though you want to find a solution to heal the fissure once and for all so I suggest the surgery. I've had Botox and that did not work, in fact I was in a lot of pain afterwards, then I got the fissurectomy/sphincterectomy combo surgery and I am finally free from it all. I know it sounds nuts to get a surgical cut to fix a fissure but it’s the sure way to fix it. Conservative methods like Botox and Rectogesic Ointment did not work for me, in the end only surgery worked. I wish I had done the surgery first cause I went through months of pain and hopelessness that I could have avoided had I just done the surgery first.

Though very important, make sure you research and choose a reputable specialist to perform the surgery. Don’t just go with anyone, find and choose the best that you can cause for me it was the 3rd specialist that ended up fixing me with the fissurectomy/sphincterectomy. The first specialist caused the problem, the second specialist didn’t help and made my pain seem trivial until finally I researched and found the best in my area and he, the 3rd guy fixed me. So it’s worth it, pay a little more, travel a little farther if you have to but see the best that you can or at the very least someone with a lot of experience with exactly that surgery. If you’re in Sydney Australia then the Prince of Whales private hospitals “Sydney Colorectal Associates” really have a great team; Dr. Newstead fixed me and I am so thankful for him but he’s part of a group of several specialists there that all seem good.

Until then though, heat pads, use heat pads to relieve the pain.

I’ve come on here to give people this info to help but sorry I don’t think I’ll come back to follow up cause honestly I just want to move on with things, so please take the advice above and save yourself pain and anguish.

Heat pads then surgery.

Hi. I'm lying in bed very tired and having just registered with this site. Never posted anything before! I have a fissure. I'm 35 yr male with active career and two young kids. It's came with stress. I got taken to a&he by ambulance on gas and morphine. They gave me Botox the next day for 2cm fissure in six o clock position. They squashed my dangly throat thing (uvula) whilst under general anaesthetic. I went in Thursday. Came out Sunday eve. Can't talk at all or eat properly due to their mess up..I had my first bm today and have been in absolute writhing agony all day.

I did proctosydl and gtn prior to this with lactulose. I eat a good diet and drink loads.

I am now on diltiazem and have been told follow up in 8wks. I'm off work completely.

My wife has just spent loads in waitrose on manuka,coconut oil, cod liver oil, extra virgin organic olive oil and it is all now up my bum! With a hot water bottle on. One tea spoon oil inside tummy with cod liver oil tablet.

I was hoping the Botox was going to stop the spasm.... It hasn't! This is ruining my life. All I want now is the lis surgery.

I keep trying to tell myself that it's just a small cut in my bum and that its shouldn't hurt... But as you all know, I've never had to psych myself up so much ever in my life just to have a pooh! And the chronic blasting pain that comes for tens of hours following.

I was wondering about hypnotism? I've tried looking at relaxation techniques etc...

I'm loosing my mind with it all really. I know I've only got a certain amount of grace from my wife and kids before everyone really gets fed up. This brings me down. I like all the suggestions.... But can anyone really actually help???? Please!!!!!

How long has it taken others to recover from a Botox? Was it painful ?

Desperately in need of support!

It's so simple but for some reason so many people don't get it... You heal a chronic fissure by drinking 3-4 Liters of water a day, going STRICTLY gluten and dairy free. Avoid bananas, red meats, and sugar too. Basically eat chicken and veggies everyday, or beans and lentils. And DO NOT strain when on the toilet. If you do all these things for 4-5 months your fissure will go away on its own with NO meds, NO surgery, and NO pain killers. That's all it is. Doctors will NEVER tell you this because it costs NO MONEY... You'll start noticing improvements after just 3-4 weeks and you'll know what I'm talking about.

Hi Susan - I know this was posted over a year ago but I am in your position now. Just wanted to know how things are for you now and what did you end up doing?  Thank you. 

Hi, I had same issues pain imance I thought is cancer. But the doctor says the cancer doesn't have that much pain. For as I am in more advance stage next week they gone check what I have. I have skin tag it's not much as in the beginning. Take stool softeners helps alote take Sizth bath 15-20 min 2-3 times a day . Then put cream. After bm try paracetamol. plenty of water fibre food.if you are at the beginning stage ask your Gp anoheal cream. It's ok it help at the beginning but the I had hard bm then the progress is slow. I will ask my surgent to do surgery other ways I can't do anithing. Don't panic there is always light at the and of tunnel.good luck