13 Best Home Remedies for Anal Fissure

November 4, 2022

What is Anal Fissure?

A small cut or tear in the anal opening is an anal fissure. Anal fissures can lead to itching, painful bowel movements, swelling, and redness in the affected area. They can get deep enough and expose the underlying muscle tissue. The main causes of the condition are:

Lifting heavy weights
Hard stool, chronic constipation, or diarrhoea
Spending too much time on the toilet
obesity

Home Remedies for Anal Fissures:

Treatments like pain relievers and stool softeners can relieve discomfort, but fissures that persist beyond six weeks require medical attention. In most cases, fissures are not serious enough and can easily be treated at home with home remedies for anal fissures.

1. Seitz Baths

Seitz Baths are small plastic tubs available at drugstores that can help patients eliminate discomfort, pain, and swelling caused by an anal fissure. Patients need to fill the plastic tub with warm water, add some Betadine lotion to it, and place it atop the toilet seat. Next, they must sit on it for at least 10 to 15 minutes, allowing their anal area to soak in warm water to ease pain and other symptoms of anal fissure.

Epsom salts and other products can also be added to warm water in the Seitz bath, but one must do this only after their doctor’s approval. If a Seitz bath is not available, people can use a bathtub for a Seitz soak.

2. Apple Cider Vinegar

Straining during bowel movements or constipation can worsen the condition. And with its pectin content, Apple Cider Vinegar can reduce this problem. Pectin is a water-soluble fibre that encourages smooth bowel movements and digestion. For the best results, blend unfiltered apple cider vinegar and honey and have it twice regularly.

3. Dietary Fibre

Next on the list of home remedies for anal fissures is dietary fibre. As per studies, adult men and women must get a minimum of 38 grams and 25 grams of fibre daily, respectively. Eating a good amount of fibre prevents stools from becoming hard, leading to constipation, and soft and easy-to-pass stool will not irritate the fissure further. Top fibre-rich foods include split peas, beans, lentils, wheat bran flakes, high-fibre bran cereal, avocado, artichokes, and pumpkin seeds.

4. Aloe Vera

Due to its natural pain-relieving properties, aloe vera is very effective for anal fissures. Aloe vera can treat not only chronic fissures but also alleviate the symptoms of this condition. Simply remove aloe vera leaves, slice them and scoop out the gel with a spoon. Apply this gel on the affected area at least twice daily for best results.

5. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is among the best home remedies for anal fissures due to its rich medium-chain triglycerides content. The triglycerides pass through the skin easily and moisturise the affected area. Massaging coconut oil against the anal sphincter multiple times during the day heals and treats anal fissures in no time.

6. Drinking Lots of Water

One common cause of constipation is dehydration. Patients with anal fissures can make things easier by having sufficient water to keep stools soft and easily passable. Such individuals can also consume foods that add to their overall water intake. These include spinach, broccoli, tomato, cantaloupe, cabbage, sweet peppers, celery, cucumber, strawberries, watermelon, zucchini, and lettuce. Suggested regular water intake may vary from one person to another. Therefore, it is best to consult a doctor to know the right amount of water one should take throughout the day.

7. Avoiding Junk Food

Individuals with anal fissures should avoid hard solids and unhealthy foods like chips, nachos, and popcorn. These spicy and sharp foods can form hard stool, causing more strain when passing stool.

8. Olive Oil

Filled with natural laxatives, olive oil helps with easy stool passage. Honey, beeswax and olive oil are excellent home remedies for anal fissure that causes bleeding, pain, itching and swelling. To get instant relief, one can combine all the ingredients and apply the blend to the affected area several times during the day.

9. Papaya

Papaya comes loaded with the papain enzyme that aids digestion and thus offers relief to the ones suffering from anal fissures and constipation. Having papaya as a salad or mid-morning snack can soften stool and minimise the discomfort caused by anal fissures.

10. Ghee

Ghee is a natural laxative that relieves severe constipation and thus heals anal fissures. Ghee contains a lot of fatty acids that allow smoother bowel movements. Though ghee is considered one of the crucial home remedies for anal fissures, people must limit its consumption as too much ghee can cause cardiovascular damage.

11. Yoghurt

Another excellent home remedy for anal fissures is yoghurt. This probiotic consists of good bacteria, such as Bifidobacterium and lactobacillus, that regulate digestion and thus relieve constipation. Having yoghurt regularly can improve bowel movements and relieve dry stools.

12. Raw Turmeric

The yellow pigment, curcumin, in turmeric offers antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can relieve infections and inflammation related to anal fissures.

13. Regular Workout

Exercises are the best home remedies for anal fissures caused due to obesity. Exercising regularly improves the body’s metabolism, and blood circulation and helps in passing stools easily.

When Do People Need Surgery for Anal Fissure?

Since anal fissures are not a serious condition, they can heal on their own with the use of the home remedies mentioned above. However, conditions that persist beyond six weeks become chronic and might require surgery. Healthcare professionals generally perform a surgery known as lateral internal sphincterotomy or LIS, where they cut a small part of the anal sphincter muscle. This promotes healing and reduces pain and spasm in the affected area.

Another form of surgery is the advancement anal flaps, where the doctors take healthy tissue from a certain part of the patient’s body and use it to repair an anal fissure. This also improves blood supply to the affected area. This surgery is the best treatment for fissures caused by pregnancy, long-term fissures or fissures due to injury to the anal canal.

Final Thought

Using different home remedies for anal fissures is easy, but only in the initial stages. For malignant or serious fissures, consult a doctor at Apollo Spectra. They have experts for different health conditions to provide the best services to the people. Also, people must see a doctor before opting for home remedies to understand whether the problem is mild or chronic.