Anal Fissures

An anal fissure is a tear in the skin surrounding the anus (passage that passes out the stool). Anal fissures are uncomfortable and painful which gets worse during or after defecation. At times, the anal fissure may bleed a bit. These fissures may occur in adults or in children.
Anal fissures most often heal by themselves within a few weeks.

What causes anal fissures?

An anal fissure may occur due to many reasons:

  • Irregular bowel habits and straining at stools
  • Frequent diarrhoea
  • Severe constipation
  • Straining during child birth
  • Over tight anal sphincter muscles
  • Injury to the anal canal

The rare causes for anal fissure include:

  • HIV
  • Syphilis
  • Anal cancer
  • Tuberculosis
  • Herpes infection