When stooling becomes extremely painful.

The release of waste products from the human body is a part of a successful biological process, when the process of passing excreta becomes however painful and difficult, then there is something to watch out for there. During my BSC days, I had a friend who would always cry whenever she had to use the toilet, I made it a point of duty to regularly prepare vegetable soup (We call it efo riro in the Yoruba language), for her whenever she came visiting we were told that the consumption of vegetable would help soften the stool. There were moments when it got better and other times, it was a painful process for her.

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I began to read about what could have prompted such an occurrence for my dear friend, and that was when I found out about Anal fissures. Anal fissure describes a tear around the lining of the anus, there are different stages of anal fissure. A normal anal fissure could last for a week or two, but, when an anal fissure begins to last for up to six weeks, then it is moving towards a chronic phase.

The pain associated with anal fissure can be so terrible that the person involved is unable to sit or stand conveniently for an hour after passing stool, the stool could also be associated with bleeding. 1

Anal fissure is not a respecter of age but as a person advances in age, the possibility of having one decreases as there is an advancement in age. However, people who may have experienced anal fissures at one point in their lives may be prone to experience another in the nearest future. There are different reasons behind this health condition, some of them are;

• Passing out a large, hard stool will create straining during bowel movement and as such, a tear is expected.

• The insertion of objects into the anus.

• Anal sex/stretching.

• Serious constipation.

• Straining during childbirth.

• Pregnancy.

Other complicated and less common causes of an anal fissure include HIV, Syphilis, Anal cancer, and Tuberculosis.

• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

• Sexually transmitted infection (STI) could damage the anal canal.

• Anal cancer.

• Syphilis.

• Individuals who have tight sphincter muscles would result in increased tension in the anal canal.

• Increased flow of blood to anorectal area. 2

Visible symptoms of Anal Fissure.

• The experience of sharp pain when passing feces.

• A physical tear around the anus.

• An extra lump of skin found around the anus, usually close to the tear region.

• Constant burning sensation and itching around the anus.

• Bleeding while pooing. (The amount of blood may vary from tiny droplets to a closet-filled one).3

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Easy healing procedures for anal fissure.

Since anal fissure is another type of open wound, there is a possibility of natural healing occurring as long as the area is kept dry and clean. However, healthy food consumption and lifestyle would help speed up the process of recovery. Some of the processes entail;

The consumption of more fluid would help the body remain hydrated as well as improve the digestion process.

Having meals that contain more fiber contents is a good way to help the condition.

Over-the-counter stool softeners would help make the process of passing stool easier.

Taking sitz baths helps to relax anal muscles, and increase the level of blood flow to the anorectal area.

The application of pain relief to the anus helps to ease discomfort felt by the person who has the condition.

Botox injection to the anal sphincter works by temporarily paralyzing the muscle around the region, this way the anal fissure gets to heal, and new fissures are prevented from forming.

Trust me when I say anal fissure comes with serious pain which could take time to go away, over the counter mediations like pain relief targeted at reducing the level of pain felt by patients would be a good way to reduce inflicted pain. Regular warm baths is also a good way to help reduce pain.

The pain associated with anal fissure could create the fear of having another bowel movement next time, this would result in having a larger and a harder stool making bowel movement even more complicated.

This pain can also affect urination and cause painful urination. 4

If the condition does not go away after these processes have been followed a surgical operation is often advised. This surgical operation is known as sphincterotomy, this works by creating a little incision around the anal sphincter, with this condition, the muscle is relaxed and the anal fissure condition is healed. As good as it sounds to go for this treatment, I would also like you to know that this condition comes with an associated risk of not being able to control the time stool is passed. 5

The risk of getting an anal fissure can be prevented by simply;
Treating diarrhea as soon as possible.
Changing an infant’s diaper if they have any slight possibility of the condition.
Constantly keep the anal region as clean as you can.
The consumption of plenty of fluid and eating food that contains high fiber is also a good way to prevent the condition.
Regular exercise.

For further studies.

https://patient.info/digestive-health/rectal-bleeding-blood-in-faeces/anal-fissure

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/13177-anal-fissures

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/anal-fissure

https://www.medicinenet.com/anal_fissure/article.htm

https://www.healthline.com/health/anal-fissure#symptom

Hi, I am Tobi a writer, speaker, relationship blogger, and lover of good music. I love making friends and learning from people. Want to hear me speak on relationships and general life issues, you can find my podcast channel Here and listen to any episode for free, do not forget to subscribe and share with friends. I sincerely appreciate every love I get from members of the community, do well to keep them coming.