What is an anal fissure, and what is the best treatment for it? Friends who suffer from anal fissures can deeply empathize; anal fissures can cause immense physical and mental pain. So, how should patients treat anal fissures? Is applying ointment really helpful for anal fissures? Below, experts from the Department of Anorectal Diseases at Zhengzhou Huashan Hospital will analyze some basic knowledge about anal fissures and the best methods for treating them.
If you want to learn more about the treatment methods for anal fissures, please click on the free online consultation to communicate one-on-one with experts and resolve your issues instantly. Expert reminder: Timely understanding of the condition is the key to adopting the most effective and correct treatment.
What exactly is an anal fissure? Experts from the Department of Anorectal Diseases at Zhengzhou Huashan Hospital point out: An anal fissure is a common disease, ranking second in incidence among anorectal diseases, just behind hemorrhoids. Due to similar symptoms, ordinary people find it difficult to distinguish between them. The differences between anal fissures and hemorrhoids are as follows: First, the amount of bleeding from hemorrhoids is generally more than that from anal fissures; Second, anal fissures cause severe pain, although external hemorrhoids can also be painful during acute episodes, but unlike the clear pattern of pain associated with anal fissures.
Anal fissures can be classified into acute and chronic types. Acute fissures represent the early stage of the condition, with milder symptoms; Chronic anal fissures have deeper tears, recurrent non-healing, and scar tissue formation around the tear, possibly accompanied by external hemorrhoids, enlarged anal papillae, and anal fistulas.
Why do anal fissures form? The internal anal sphincter undergoes spasm due to stimulation by acidic substances and intestinal contaminants, leading to local ischemia of the anal canal. At the same time, during defecation, the anal canal cannot normally dilate, causing obstacles to stool passage, and forcing defecation exacerbates the anal fissure.
Young people have higher sensitivity of the internal sphincter muscle, combined with irregular diet and lifestyle, leading to more cases of constipation, thus increasing the incidence. In children, the anal sphincter has not fully developed, and their diet lacks vegetables and coarse fiber foods, resulting in harder stools, which similarly leads to a higher incidence. Women have weaker perineal sphincter muscles, especially during menstruation and pregnancy when pelvic congestion occurs, leading to poor venous return. Combined with the strain during childbirth, this causes anal canal ischemia and easy tearing, so the incidence is higher in women than in men.
How to prevent anal fissures? First, correct constipation; second, focus on a light vegetarian diet to prevent strong irritants in feces from adversely affecting the anus; finally, maintain anal hygiene to prevent infection.
Timely treatment of anal fissures is essential; otherwise, acute cases can turn chronic, and conditions that could originally be treated with medication may require surgery. If left untreated when chronic, it can lead to mutual influence and aggravation of constipation, spasms, and anal fissures, potentially causing gastrointestinal disorders and anal-rectal neurotic syndromes.
Treatment for anal fissures:
Experts from the Department of Anorectal Diseases at Zhengzhou Huashan Hospital state that the first step in treating anal fissures is to conduct a clear examination. Currently, the Korean proctoscope used at Zhengzhou Huashan Hospital can diagnose the specific cause of anal fissures within three minutes, painlessly. After confirmation, if it's an early-stage fissure, drug therapy can be used. Medicinal sitz baths, using unique An-style medicinal fumigation agents for both fumigation and washing, can relieve sphincter spasm and stop pain and bleeding in mild cases of anal fissures. This is then supplemented with oral An-style Chinese medicine for internal and external regulation, effectively treating anal fissures.
For old fissures, surgical treatment is necessary. For chronic anal fissures, Zhengzhou Huashan Hospital uses the An-style minimally invasive therapy to repair the fissure, reducing re-contamination, followed by medicinal fumigation and Chinese herbal enemas to achieve true therapeutic effects.
Step two: Many patients with anal fissures believe that once the symptoms of anal fissures are relieved, they are cured. This understanding is incorrect. Treating anal fissures should not overlook the "source" that triggered them - constipation. If constipation is not cleared, worsening constipation can induce new anal fissures. Therefore, it's best to eliminate constipation while treating anal fissures.
For the treatment of constipation, Zhengzhou Huashan Hospital adopts colonic irrigation, using sterilized, filtered 38-degree sterile pure water to thoroughly clean the entire intestine. By removing accumulated feces and toxins, promoting beneficial bacterial growth, improving the intestinal environment, restoring normal intestinal motility, and enhancing immunity, constipation can be completely eliminated. If other diseases trigger anal fissures, timely examination and active treatment of the primary disease are necessary.
Experts from the Department of Anorectal Diseases at Zhengzhou Huashan Hospital remind: Anal fissures can cause many harms to the body, and if not treated in time, they can lead to the occurrence of anal fistulas, bringing unbearable suffering.
If you want to learn more about the treatment methods for anal fissures, please click on the free online consultation to communicate one-on-one with experts and resolve your issues instantly. Expert reminder: Timely understanding of the condition is the key to adopting the most effective and correct treatment.