Healing a Chronic Anal Fissure

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I suffered with an anal fissure for almost 6 months. Having bowel movements was like passing shreds of glass & the pain was so bad for hours afterwards. I would wake up the next day dreading the next bowel movement. I actually thought it was piles & didnt know what it was until after about 8 weeks. The doctor gave me the usual creams etc and it did seem to work for a few days but then would come back. I finally was able to somewhat control the pain but the fissure wasnt healing. After reading everything I could about it & peoples trials & errors I wanted to share with you what finally healed the fissure. Please note I have no medical experience and I am just sharing what worked for me. 

First drink lots of water. I drink 12-14 8oz glasses everyday. I ensure I have fibre with all my meals. For 1 week I had a sitz bath with epsom salts in it & use to soak in it for 20 mins. At night before bedtime I took 30ml of Cremaffin stool softner for about 1 month. I know this is too long to be taken this as well as too much but this used to make bowel movements pain free. Afterwards I gradually reduced 5ml every 2 weeks. But what really healed the fissure itself was applying Sudocrem nappy rash cream. I applied it gently (with very short nails to make sure I didnt scratch myself further!!) just inside my anus as well as around the tag.  I read that zinc oxide would help it heal and remembered my sons Sudocrem. I used to apply it about 4-5 times a day for about 1 week then reduced to 2 times a day. So far its been about 2 weeks and I have been pain free. I still take Cremaffin 10 ml every night & apply Sudocrem before bed. I hope this will help someone else too as cos as you know its the worst pain ever!!

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  • Posted

    The main thing in all of this is to keep it soft. However you do it, just keep it soft(whether you use Movicol, Dulcolex or whatever) . Not so soft that it is runny, rather soft so that you pass the stool easily. Initially if the Fissure is very bad, then it needs to be runny for about a week or so and then gradually try to get it soft and normal. All the creams etc are there just to help it heal or soothe the pain, but actually NO creams really work. It needs to heal on it's own. Honey is also very good, but it must be pure honey.

    Remember, the trick is it MUST be kept soft. Otherwise, nothing is going to heal it. Different people get it soft in different ways. You need to find out what works for you and play around with it. Trial and error. Each person knows his or her body best. You need to realize what foods harden your stool and avoid eating them, whether it is junk food, chocolates, cool drinks etc. Some people just have a very strong metabolism, so whatever they eat doesn't really matter. Each person is different, so you need to learn your body and work accordingly.

    Again let me reiterate, THE TRICK IS "KEEP IT SOFT" however you do it.

    Hope this helps

    Thank you

    • Posted

      Can I ask if any one has a tag as well?

      I had botox 2019 for my fissure and removal of skin tag.

      For 10 months I have made AMAZING progress.

      However, the area swells up with stress and I now am crying on the bed back to square 2 (not bad enough to say square 1)

      The surgeon removed my skin tag but the scarred remaining area is what seems to swell and cause me so Soooo much pain. Can any one shed any light on this? Can sudocrem help with this wound? The surgeon said it would just 'go' but I Don really understand this. Can anyone help? Dont seem to have razor blade pain when I poo, it's an invasive pain on the outside after wards. Xxxx hope you're all okay

  • Posted

    I deal with anal fissure for 2 months now, severe pain for hours after BM (not during BM), tried all creams possible, cocconut oil, epsom salt, honey and so on, all you can think of and you can find on internet, I had it all, sadly nothing helps to get away the daily pain , 2 weeks ago I had botox procedure, I donno if its better now or not, I have pain every day and I am off work for 2 weeks now because its at is worst when I walk or stand on my feet, I really dont know what to try next, I have soft poops nothing wrong there, drink plenty of water, fiber diet, warm baths 3-4 times/day and so on...I want to avoid at any cost the sphincterotomy but at this point I really dont know what else to do as my life is upside down for the last 2 months or so...

    • Posted

      Do you have soft stool all the time or is it that you also have hard stools in between ? Eg. soft stools for 3 days, then one hard stool, then again soft, then hard ?

      I'm 99% certain that you do not have soft stools all the time. You need to get it soft for at least two weeks minimum and straightaway you will find a difference and start to heal otherwise it will be very difficult to heal. You can soften it by using Movicol, Lacson syrup or even Dulcolax (just for the first week) thereafter play around with the softeners until you find the right dosage. The fissure needs to heal on it's own. The only way, as I said, you need to soften it continuously.

      Hope you heal soon

  • Edited

    hi Nazy and everyone!

    how's you fissure now NAZZY? i want to follow every step you do and really hope to recover quickly. i just want to know if there is a hope for a chronic fissure to be healed ?

  • Edited

    I have a chronic fissure, and after trying many things (including sitz baths), I found out that using a heat pad especially before and after bowel movements really made a difference with the pain. Perhaps this happens because it helps relax the muscles. This way the bowel movements are much easier. It is much easier to use than sitz baths. Lots of water and prunes help. Washing and applying healing medicine also.

    I logged in just to share this information.

    Hope you get well soon!!!

  • Posted

    Hi everyone,

    So glad to say that I have been pain free ever since I had that small relapse for a day or 2 years ago. I have been consistent with my fibre intake and water for the most part and lead an active life when possible. I think some ppl are more prone to being constipated than others and I've found whenever I dont have enough food or water I do feel a bit constipated so I make sure I up both and have even at times taken fibre supplements like metamucil just so I don't ever come to the point of a fissure again. I will never forget the awful indescribable containt pain! Try and follow the things I did to overcome this and hopefully too you will heal as well. Wishing you all well.

  • Posted

    hello. thank God someone has recommended to use Sudocream.

    I mostly have pain when I pee and off course I bleed as well. so I've put on sudocream since this morning and the urge to itch has almost gone. before getting to bed I have also applied the sudocream so I am not in too much pain.

    thanks for the tip on sudocream.

  • Edited

    Please somebody help i am in so much pain. Ok its 7.10 am im crouched here over the bed typing this in a bid that somebody can help me, i have had thoughts of suicide about this pain i can not handle anymore my dog hasnt even been treated so bad when his anal glands swelled a week and he was cured.7 weeks ago tomorrow i started a course of antibiotics Erythromycin for a tooth abcess which formed after a wisdom tooth was extracted. The tablets didnt work i was then given amoxacillin which also in turn didnt work. I developed what best could be described as nappy rash between the bum cheeks and my wife applied metainium cream for nappy rash this was 7 weeks ago.Two days alter i developed severe paid about 2 to 3 inc up inside my anus of the left side like passing glass. I screamed with the pain and ever since then i have got worse where i am crying on the bed for 4 hours after each bm. The nhs is streched at the min with covid so i paid private and was diagnoised with thrush and treated with caneston.This didnt work i tried every single pile cream as i do have a history of them nothing worked.Went to gp for internal and he felt a pile and prescribed scherryproct sorry my spelling is bad that didnt do anything. Now the pain is on the other side aswell as further up. The pain is so intense i get hot and sweaty and scream out the burning inside is so intense after i can not even lie down and wriggle in pain all over the bed crying. The hemoriod treaments make it burn even more so i have stopped after yesterday as i thought i was dying. My gp has made me do a fit test waiting for result but there has been small amount of blood when passing a hard stool so i am expecting the worse. All the emla cream says is not for internal use so thats no good tried sitz baths does nothing i have a water sprayer that my wife uses daily after a bm so no wiping i didnt eat anything yeserday and im so scared of going toilet. I taking lactoloose that give me soft stools which also hurt serverly im really at such a loss. Gp said if the thrush treament didnt work he would prescribe nitro glc treament but now i have to wait two weeks for an appointment to see him to get that its just going on and on.Uped my fibre it makes my stool harder please can anybody help me please please please !!!!!!!!!

    • Edited

      go to emergency and demand the nitroglycerin cream and also lidocaine numving cream. ask for a referral to a specialist

  • Posted

    i have been having severe pain due to the tears, every 2-4 weeks the issue starts again, i need to increase the fibre in my diet, i am drinking 2 litres of water daily.

    i am having lactulose daily, i am struggling to pass bm without blood.

    please can someone help

  • Posted

    Hey can I ask you about the tag? I still have really bad days.

    Has the tag gone? This is wear I seem to have the epicentre of pain, even though I thought the surgeon removed it. Please reply any further advice xxx thank you

  • Posted

    Hi Everyone,

    I'm pretty desperate for some advice/help. for about 6 weeks now, i have had terrible pain after BM's that lasts until i go to bed at night. It's a deep aching pain that radiates. When i look in the mirror, it appears that some tissue is swollen on the outside with what you all seem to be mentioning is a skin tag. the swelling on that part goes up inside and causes the ache. My sphincter muscles are sore like a bruise feeling.i was checked and do not have hemorrhoids. However, the exams i have had are not looking inside. I'm really frustrated to say the least. there has been no blood. I have a colonoscopy in a week. Does this sound like an internal fissure?

    thank you in advance!!

    • Posted

      Hi did the Dr or consultant not tell you it was a fissure they should of realised by just looking.my dr examined me and i went into orbit with the pain he told me it was a tear but they may do a colonoscopy have consultant on 18th may see what they say i did get a quick referral if you class Middle March to may quick

  • Posted

    i have had a fissure also for months. have had every cream. gel.suppositories .i drink lots of water and use sudacrem at night. it won't heal so they say it chronic. got consultant on 18th May think i have a good pain threshold considering i am in pain for hours a day like yourself .you cannot explain to someone the pain .as a woman i find the pain follows to the front passage area. i work in accounts so sitting all day does not help. comfort at night is warm bath .dont know about you but find am tired a lot think due to the pain .my doctor has said they likeky do the operation . no.idea how long after consultant i have to wait.

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