How to Prevent Anal Fissures

Try raw (unpasteurized) aloe vera juice implants overnight to help heal them. It worked terrific for a chronic condition I had, and since following Dr Ben Kims advise on "keeping the colon healthy" I have been completely pain free, no more tear down there for a year and a half now. The implants took about 10 days to do the job.

I just wanted to add that this happened to me and my stills were large and hard. My chiropractor recommend nutritional support for my gallbladder that was not processing fats properly. It has really helped and I am feeling so much better.

Great article and I wanted to let people know that I formulated a product to heal my own anal fissures and those of my readers. I specialize in natural healing methods for digestive diseases and anal/rectal fissures are very common in people with colitis, Crohn's and IBS.

These are very thin suppositories (so easy to insert in a sore anus) - because of the thin size (1/4" diameter) we have to have them handmade by a compound pharmacy - and they contain fantastic wound healers like comfrey root, slippery elm, marshmallow root and cocoa butter.

They are called FissureHeal and they work really fast. The cocoa butter base also helps to moisturize and lubricate the tissue to make your next bowel movement easier. Just Google "FissureHeal" and you'll find them - or ask Dr. Ben to carry them in his store!

best,
Jini Patel Thompson

I just want to share a helpful tip I learned many years ago. If you've gotten an anal fissure, for whatever reason, there can be continuing pain or discomfort during bowel movements while the fissure attempts to heal. Just before a bowel movement, lubricate the anus with a small amount of vaseline. This eases the passage of stool and also helps with cleanup, which can irritate when the area is extra sensitive due to a fissure. A bonus is that knowing things will "go more smoothly" eases tension as well!

I had a very difficult labour and delivery with my first child and developed a fissure which unfortunately also became ulcerated, leaving me in extreme, constant pain (not just pain at the time of bowel movements).

I had a very kind doctor who gave me a steroid cream, which helped a bit but never healed the sore completely.

After much research I found a treatment that worked so rapidly and effectively and gave relief almost from the first application:

1) Apply a mixture of olive oil with basil oil after each bowel movement. As uncomfortable as it sounds, it's very important to get the oil INSIDE the anus as the reason fissures heal so poorly is because they are constantly subjected to leftover fecal matter after a bowel movement.

The basil and olive oil mixture seem to give some numbing effect and pain relief. The basil oil also provides antibacterial properties that are important in keeping the wound clean which aids in healing.

2) Apply a small amount of Manuka honey in the morning and before bed, again INSIDE the anus. If you only apply it to the outside, it is not going to reach the fissure and heal it.

Again, Manuka honey has antibacterial properties and wonderful wound-healing properties.

After suffering with this for months after the birth of my baby, I healed myself within a about a week of this regiment. Avoiding constipation is also very very important, as I believe the area where the fissure was will be delicate for some time and may be susceptible to developing another fissure.

I hope this helps someone with this truly painful condition.

Please do not take baths daily. It wastes water, one of our most precious natural resources.

Your article made me realize why my private area was bleeding, when my doctor only prescribed ointment for it, probably because he didn't know that I clean that area vigorously with bar soap daily! I've been suffering for years without realizing why! This information is a godsend.

This is an excellent article on the causes and ways to naturally treat and heal anal fissures.

I have to say, I tried this suggestion and I am on day number five. I have the basil oil being sent to me so I have not yet been using it. I mixed Manuka Honey and olive oil and inserted this into the rectum as I have an internal fissure. The results have been wonderful so far, I have experienced an extreme difference. The nagging itching and soreness has seemed to let up. I have been eating a high fiber diet, lots of brown rice, Yukon Gold potatoes and fresh veggies with ground flax seed and italian dressing. I have been using laxitives and stool softners as it is important NOT to let the stool get large or hard. Loose or soft is the way you want to go until this is healed and you may want to continue this so it does not reopen or form another one. You will notice when you insert this mixure your body will want to reject it, I kept putting it in until this stopped or got better. I hope this will help someone else who is experiencing this similar pain, I have been dealing with this for two years now and am trying anything I can to avoid the surgery. Good luck to you ;)

I appreciate both the post and the thoughtful comments.

I wanted to share an experience I've had and hopefully it will help others. I was taking a "powdered" supplement in a packet which I would dissolve in liquid. I believe it was EmergenC ( I can't remember the flavor) and while I was using it I had anal bleeding and fissures. I soon stopped taking the powder and the bleeding stopped as well, followed by the fissures healing. I suspected the bleeding may have been caused by the powder but I wasn't sure. Then time went by and I forgot about the connection. I took some packets with me on a trip abroad and after using less than a couple packets, the fissures were back. Finally, the connection was solid in my body and mind. I don't ever use those crystallized supplements now because I believe either the crystallization catalyst is still there and causes crystals to re-form, or they are never completely dissolved. At any rate, I believe they are harmful to skin tissue. I would use a small amount of zinc oxide on a Q-tip to clean and speed up healing of the fissures—gently press the head of the Q-tip to the inside.

Recently I discovered an outstanding coconut bar made by Oskri—Coconut Bar Original. I love this two-ingredient bar (coconut and a small amount of rice syrup). Eating at least one a day greatly improves the texture of my stools which tend to be dry or hard.

I had anal fissures BIG TIME! extremely painful. The doctor gave me something on prescription that was Vaseline based. The pharmacist had to order the powder to mix into it.
Turns out it is Cardazam/(Diltiazem), a very powerful drug used in hospital to treat my atrial fibrillation. I thought it was extremely weird to put this heart drug on my fissures, but it worked within days after months of suffering. The quantity was just 0.2%

I've found this article to provide welcome information to several of my co-workers (5 had already had surgeries). They thank you for that.

I was also wanting to find out the date that the article was set out by newsletter. I had nostril lesions at the time and am trying to attach a length of time of these nuisances.

I have had this problem for the last two years. It got really bad a two months ago. I seen the colon rectal surgeon. She gave me a prescription to put inside that lets your blood flow better
to the area so it can heal. If this doesn't work she is going to give me a botox injection. She said surgery is the last resort because it can cause anal leakage. I have fybromyalgia and have had a problem with constipation for years as well. I think they have both contributed to my problem.

My situation was an anal fissure that kept reopening on every bowel movement. Even after a year of following my doctor's advice of high fibre diet for soft stools and muscle relaxant cream, it still split on most bowel movements.

The solution that worked for me was to progressively gently massage the inside of my anal ring during my daily shower (no soap), working towards comfortably being able to insert two fingers (similar to stool size) just past the inner ring, and rotating them.

Over three weeks, this seems to have rebuilt up my lost natural elasticity in the scar tissue on my anal ring. This same technique had previously worked on a long term recurring split lip I'd had many years ago.

I wish doctors in the UK had better means of sharing patient solutions, like on this forum. I have a feeling GP's will be replaced by an app at this rate.

I have been dealing with a anal fissure for 2 years, tried several Otc meds. Have had some relief but slight constipation always makes it re-occur. Lately I have been using organic Aloe Vera gel in its purest form possible, and am feeling very little pain. It's been about 4 days so far and seems to be working. I ordered Aloe Vera gel, about $17 by mail, put a little in an ice cube tray , freeze it , pop it out, let it melt slightly, maybe 2 minutes so it won't be so cold, then insert it. Use it as often as possible .
That's it. Good luck.

I found that one of the easy things to do is to keep a small child step-up stool in your toilet and when you need to pass a motion put your feet up onto the stool and sit back with a straight back when on the toilet seat, never lean forward as this restricts the bowel passage. Also RELAX. I am only 5ft tall, and so a foot stall is the best. Also keep a big bottle of organic shea based lotion with a pump top and spread a little of the lotion onto your loo paper to prevent a sore bottom before exiting the toilet. Also drink Kambucha and eat only non processed foods from nature.

I had horrid, painful, debilitating rectal fissures for almost two years, and I finally healed them by doing these five things:
1. Because animal fats turn to acid in the digestive system, and therefore irritate the open wound of a fissure, I stoppped eating all animal products, and went on a vegan diet for 6 weeks. 2. I had thought that squatting was best for defecating, but instead I leaned back, which no longer put pressure on the fissures. 3. I made rectal suppositories by cutting small pieces of aloe vera plant(just the inside of the leaf-not thte green!), and freezing them so the'd be firm enough to put inside, did that every night at bedtime. 4. I applied Coconut Oil every morning & night. 5. Visualization: at bedtime and in the morning I visuallized the fissures closing up, and the cells growing back together....I had been on the brink of going in for surgery, very depressed, but by doing these things religiously for 6 weeks, I am completely healed, Yay!!! My doctor was amazed, and wanted to know the tricks!

I have suffered with Anal Fissures for around 8 months following a nasty virus which gave me diarreah. I initially had blood then I began to experience sharp pain during any bowel movement followed by hours of pain during the day. This is a terrible condition and I fully sympathise with anyone going through any part of what I have experienced during the last few months. Initially I went to a private doctor, who prescribed me GNT ointment, which gave me a headache once applied to the anus. This helped a little with the pain, but not much else. 6 weeks later I was prescribed another ointment which actually worked to some extent - pain started to dissapear. At the same time I hit on a very stressful work period - I was overworked as well as worried over my business, which brought back the anal fissure issue. The doctor didnt think the two were linked and encouraged me to continue with the ointment. After some more time I gave up on the ointments from the chemist, concentrating on more natural methods. 10 days ago I started a new regime which is working wonders so far. Most of this came from this site - so i thank all who have contributed. I will describe my regime, please feel free to ask me any questions.

1. At night around 8PM I take prune juice, a laxative, magnesium tablets and some water. this helps the BM in the morning.

2. Before I go to bed I apply Manuka 15+ to my anus - in, inside and around it, up to my second knuckle (gently and slowly obviously, and sorry for the graphic description) Clean up any excess before getting in bed!

3. First thing in the morning, back to the Manuka, in and around! With me, this stimulates a BM within 30 mins. This has got progressivley less painfull every day.

4. I nuked some coconut oil (a quarter of a small jar) added 100ml of virgin olive oil and 35 drops of basil oil (essential oil grade) then froze it in my freezer. After every BM and at intervals during the day I break off small shards of this (about the same size as the end of your little finger) and use it as a supository. You have to be fairly quick in inserting it as it melts very quickly.

5. 2-3 Sitz baths every day

6. Meditation / Visualisation

7. I work on a non processed food, paleo based high fibre diet where possible.

This is WORKING for me, it has gone from most of the day pain to morning pain only, and getting better every day. I am not out of the woods yet, but I am very sure this will work if I continue.. I will keep the board informed of my further progress if anyone is interested. I also have an appointment with my doctor on the 11th August where I am going to explain my regime and I am looking forward to his response!

Good luck to you all!

I have been at the point of not wanting to eat for fear of having to use it later and experience the blood, throbbing pain and severe discomfort caused by my fissure/hemorrhoid. I have been praying and praying for healing and I believe I have found a remedy. At the very least I have some serious relief from this debilitating pain. Thanks to Dr. Kim and those who have offered advice, it has helped me tremendously, I mean that.

It takes a bit of work, but that is a small price to pay for good health.
First, your diet must improve. Water, fresh fruits and vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds, etc. should be staples of your daily eating regimen. However, that is not enough on its own if you have a fissure or hemorrhoid. I began taking sitz baths twice a day, and that helped a bit but not as much as the following, plus I began to break out with heat rashes from the very warm temperature.

Every morning I squeeze one half of a fresh lemon and mix it with one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. I do this early and don't consume anything else for at least one hour. Afterward I eat as I would normally. Before bed I take 1/2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. This seems to help my constipation issues more than anything else I have done, and I have done a LOT.

Based on the advice here I also began to grease my rectum with olive oil, manuka honey and basil oil. However, initially, I was in so much pain that it hurt to even touch that area much less actually insert my finger somewhat. However, the ingredients must get inside of you to work. This mixture was very liquid so I refrigerated it to solidify the olive oil a bit and it became a bit easier to apply. After a day or two, I had a bit of relief and attempted to make a home made suppository using this combination, but it did not work. Even freezing it was ineffective because the olive oil is too viscous. I then switched to coconut oil (Nutiva: virgin, unrefined,cold-pressed) and achieved the desired results. Mix about one tablespoon of coconut oil, 1/2 teaspoon of manuka honey and four drops of basil oil together (this is not an absolute formula, but it's what I do). If the coconut oil is solid, heat it over a double boiler, it liquefies very easily. However, it will not blend with the honey and basil oil in a liquid state. As it cools and begins to harden it will become the perfect consistency to mix everything together. Tossing it in the fridge for a few minutes will accomplish this. I then made my own suppositories using baby bottle nipples and pacifier nipples (they sell suppository kits, but I wanted to save some money). Put the nipples in an ice cube tray and put the mixture into the nipple portion only (the narrow end). Toss them in the freezer and you have the perfect suppository for healing a fissure or a hemorrhoid. Insert one every night before bed.
Now, in doing these things you may feel the urge to go right away, but your body is healing itself and those muscles that Dr. Kim spoke of in the rectum are beginning to relax. Your bowels are also turning into the proper consistency. Be consistent with these steps, especially the olive oil and the good diet.

Praise the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob for the unspeakable, humanly incomprehensible wonders of His creation, and thanks to all who have offered advice on this very sensitive subject.

If I eat 1 to 2 cups of peaches, canned, three to four times a week with breakfasts or 3/4 to 1 can of turkey chili for lunch a couple times a week, along with getting a sufficient amount of water without overdoing it, the bowels will move like they are supposed to. Eating wet fibrous foods such as peaches and eating chili with beans for lunch twice a week, which is also a fibrous food, there is never a worry that the bowels will not work properly. I include eating one to two cloves of elephant garlic 4 to 5 times a week with breakfast and then wash the odor from my hair and body and put on fresh or non-garlicky smelling clothing so I won't stink others out, fried on a gentle medium to medium-low heat until lightly golden brown and softened, as it helps to heal the stomach and helps built up gases come out. Some call the "farting" from garlic an allergic reaction but, from my own experience, expelling gas is good and it is nice afterwards to have no pressure from bloating and a flatter stomach.

Having worked on a switchboard for years, I was always stressed and had some painful bowel movements. I have done breath work occasionally so I started breathing and focusing my mind near the tailbone. At first it took 2 days before I went to the bathroom. then it got much faster as i would start breathing around that area of my body, when i wanted to go but couldn't. Now if I ever get constipation, I found a great a fiber pill I take and do my breathing trick and go almost immediately. It always works and the fiber pill just helps pull more out.

For anal fissures,
patients must eat some spinach with every meal including breakfast and some squeezed lemon juice with it. The greens will soften stools and prevent constipation, and the vitamin c will help heal. Hope this helps.

Years ago my doctor told me to use Anusol to relieve the extreme discomfort I was experiencing with my anal fissure. She offered no solution at all. It arose after I had a very difficult delivery of my son and burdened me for years. Fed up with the pain and the blood, I decided to change my diet. I eliminated red meat and deep fried foods. The fissure healed much to my extreme satisfaction and relief. When I attempted to eat red meat again the fissure re-opened and I could barely sit and I again bled when I had a bowel movement. I learned my lesson: never again to red meat. I have not had a steak, or a hamburger or a pork chop in over a decade, and I also avoid greasy food like chicken wings. I am almost a vegetarian meaning I skip eating meat entirely probably every other day, consume vegetables and fruit daily, and the only meat I eat is chicken, turkey and fish. No steak in the world is worth the pain of a fissure. To make a long story short: a change in diet was the answer.

Hi all of you that suffer from this painful condition. I got an AF in october 2017 of reasons I don`t know. In the beginning the pain was worst when performing #2, but later on the pain developed after 2-3 hours because of spasms. I tried different kind of painkilling ointments + tried to keep the bowels smooth, but after suffering for 12 weeks I went to a specialist who prescribed Rectogesic. A combination of this ointment, plenty of water, Lactulose, almost only fish, fruit and vegetables + plenty of exercise (walking, running etc) seem to have cured me. It took about 3,5 weeks from the Rectogesic was introduced. I have been free of pain and spasms for 5 days now. Btw, it is important to keep the stools silky smooth, mine has been like a continous soft stool. And no pressing, use some standing position to easen the procedure.

Good luck to everybody (except my worst enemies),

best wishes from Kjetil, Norway

Anal fissure are aggravated by spasms of Anal sphincter which in turn cause pain, reduced blood supply to anal skin where anal fissures are there. To reduce spasms of Anal sphincter gradual anal dilation using Anal dilator starting from small size then gradually increasing sizes, available in surgical shops costing less than INR 200 ( less than $3) are very useful when combined with Sitz bath, Nifedipine ointment, High fiber diet, stool softener and emotional de-stressing. I am suffering from anal fissures for decades and whenever I resorted to anal dilator the fissure healed invariably but it relapse after weeks to month of stopping dilation as the Anal sphincter tone comes back. I tried to continue use of anal dilator even after healing but become lazy when pain subsides and default in treatment.

My tips..
Mine started several months ago with itchy irritation then developed into a tear. I have suffered pain and absolute agony. But I'm on the mend. Here's how.

I tried 2 ointments at first. First Rectogesic then a private prescription for Diltiazem. Neither really helped in my case.

So the consultant recommended Botox injection. After I had the injection it was agony the first day or so probably because I didn't keep to a soft diet. But I learnt my lesson! But I have to say it is now slowly healing. If I do the following things I get pain free bowel movements whilst the healing process is working. So read on folks.

Pray
Pray for healing. You can learn a lot about yourself when you suffer something like this. Little prayer = little power. More prayer = more power. Much prayer = much power!

Consultants advice
My consultant has advised me my stools should be like toothpaste in consistency whilst I'm healing. Which makes sense for this to heal.

Laxatives and stool softeners
I take 3 teaspoons of lactulose in the morning and 3 in the evening to soften the stools. I also take 3 sachets of Movicol in the day. These are the laxatives and stool softeners that work for me. I've tried others. But do your homework on laxatives as some shouldn't be used for prolonged periods.

Water
Drink water and often. Then drink some more. A glass before bed time and a glass when you first wake up also help. Tip - always have a glass of water to hand. Try to minimise tea and coffee to 1 or 2 cups a day. I also drink Rubicon still Guava drink which seems to help.

Breakfast
I have fruit and water. Usually oranges and plumbs. Sometimes kiwi and strawberries or mango. All soft fruit. Often i have cereal to. Weetabix or Allbran. I usually mix the 2 and have soya milk on top. But not a massive portion.

Main meals
I have found that a bean salad with a large tomato and some parsley passes quite smoothly through my bowls so I would definitely recommend that. I usually put a salad cream or dressing on top to make it more tasty.

Chunky vegetable soup is also good.

Vegetable chop suey is nice just only eat the soft stuff.

I dont eat meat currently but might add a little tofu to the chop suey or salad.

I sometimes have a small slice of ujimatcha cake which is nice and light. Very tasty.

Oh and really chew your food........

Showers
Shower after EVERY bowel movement!

Bowel movement
Use sensitive non fragrance flushable toilet tissue wipes rather than toilet paper. This helps greatly!! Be very gentle but keep it clean. This really reduced my soreness on my skin. Regular toilet tissue was just to rough for me.
Always go to the toilet as soon as u feel the need. Dont wait. I find a cup of decaf kenco coffee with soya milk helps. Strange but true!

Dont strain on your bowel movements if at all possible. Sit and avoid squatting as some people do.

Saline solution
If you can then then once a day get someone to clean the area (after your bowel movement and shower) with saline solution. This has also helped me starting to heal. You are trying to stop the area getting infected also!

Barrier ointment
Use nappy rash cream as a barrier to protect the skin very recommended for when you walk. I use metanium (the yellow not the white). I apply this after my shower or after saline solution.

Walking!
Walk often to get your blood circulating and fresh blood to the area to promote healing. But dont walk too much that it makes the area sweaty. Walks of about 20 mins duration work well for me.

Underwear
Keep your underwear soft and clean!!! But be aware some softeners and detergents might irritate your skin so do your research.

Sitting
Avoid sitting on hard surfaces.

This is working for me. You HAVE to have soft stools for it to start healing. I will keep a soft diet for some time after its healed. Maybe 3 months.

One thing to note if I deviate from any of the above then I might get pain so I'm sticking to this rigidly to allow it to heal.
Sometimes you may need a 2nd botox injection apparently. I had mine privately in London.

On the plus side with my diet it has improved my skin greatly.

God Bless folks!