Best way of living with these things?

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Lotusflower
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Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2017 5:05 pm
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by Lotusflower on Mon Apr 09, 2018 7:39 pm

Best way of living with these things?

What is the best way of dealing with these as fissures are incredibly painful and if they dont appear to be healing, effect your life or repeatedly return within 6 months or year. Haemorroids too are painful. What is the best way of managing both long term and do they ever go away or you have them for life?
Unfortunately chronic constipation seems to go hand in hand with this, as does IBS?

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Dr Christopher Black
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Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2018 12:57 pm
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by Dr Christopher Black on Fri Apr 20, 2018 4:19 pm

Re: Best way of living with these things?

Hi lotusflower,

Sorry to hear of the problems you're having with anal fissures. There are treatments to try and help them heal, and steps that can be taken to reduce the chance of them recurring. If they have been present for a long time, healing them can be trickier, and sometimes surgery is considered.

You are certainly right that fissures tend to go hand in hand with constipation, which can be part of IBS. Passing hard stools and straining can cause fissures to develop. One important part of preventing fissures and helping them to heal if they're already there is good treatment of constipation. Often laxatives are recommended to soften the stools, making them easier to pass and reduce straining.

Fibre in the diet is very important for gut health. But sometimes too much fibre, or increasing fibre intake quickly, can make the stools bulky and difficult to pass which can make fissures worse. Insoluble fibre, fibre which doesn't bring water with it like bran, can be particularly troublesome.

There are creams and ointments which can help to heal fissures. Often when there is a fissure the anal sphincter muscles go into spasm, reducing the blood flow in that area. Creams work by opening up blood vessels to increase blood flow to the fissure and help it to heal.

Lastly surgery can sometimes be tried if the fissures persist despite these other treatments. Unfortunately for some people, fissures can remain chronic despite all treatments.

It sound like your problems have been long term and recurrent. I would suggest you see your GP again who may suggest referral to see a colorectal specialist to discuss the problem further.

Kind regards,
Dr Christopher Black
Clinical Research Fellow in Gastroenterology, MBBS MRCP

http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/on ... _black.php

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