Chronic anal fissure | Treat anal fissure

Chronic anal fissure

A chronic anal fissure describes a long-term anal fissure. For example, there may be a lack of wound healing due to a wound healing disorder. In the event of permanent damage and over-irritation of the mucous membrane in the anal region, this leads to a lack of closure of the anal fissure. Unfortunately, the use of ointments, creams or other conservative, i.e. non-surgical, measures is not sufficient for this type of damage.Therefore, in these cases, surgery is recommended to remove the severely damaged mucosa. In order to make a decision on whether or not to perform surgery, a detailed discussion with the treating physician should take place.

How long do I have to treat the anal fissure?

How long an anal fissure must be treated depends on the type and extent of the mucous membrane damage.

  • In the case of an acute anal fissure, the healing process usually takes several weeks, and the symptoms usually subside within a week. The treatment should be adapted accordingly, in case of uncertainties about the duration of the treatment, consultation with a doctor or pharmacist is recommended.
  • A chronic anal fissure usually lasts for several months. At this time, the treatment is often for a longer period of time, but often has to be extended to a surgical procedure.

Treat anal fissure with home remedies

One of the home remedies with which an anal fissure can be treated is the sitz bath. The temperature for this should be warm, but not too hot. A sitz bath can be used up to three times a day and is recommended with various additives, such as lavender oil.

The sitz bath stimulates blood circulation, which in turn promotes wound healing. In addition, the pain is reduced by the heat and the sitz bath has a decongesting effect. Furthermore, the use of linseed is recommended for anal fissures. Due to their high content of dietary fiber, linseed ensures regular digestion, so that strong pressing during bowel movements is less often necessary. You can find further household remedies in our article “Household remedies for anal fissures”.