For anal fissures, the best sitting position, especially during bowel movements, mimics a squat: use a footstool to raise your knees above your hips, lean forward with elbows on thighs, and keep your back straight to align the rectum and ease passage, reducing strain; for general sitting, use a donut cushion or alternate positions to relieve pressure on the sore area.
Support your feet with a small step stool when you sit on the toilet. This helps flex your hips and places your pelvis in a squatting position. Your doctor may recommend an over-the-counter laxative, such as Miralax, Milk of Magnesia, or Ex-Lax.
Treating fissures in kids focuses on softening stools, easing pain, and promoting healing through dietary changes (fiber, fluids), sitz baths (warm water soaks), hygiene (wipes), and sometimes prescribed stool softeners or ointments; if conservative methods fail, doctors might use topical medications like nitrates or calcium channel blockers, Botox injections, or surgery (sphincterotomy) as a last resort to prevent chronic issues like fistulas, but consistent care is key.
How you can treat or prevent an anal fissure yourself
Sitting for 5 hr or more per day (exposure) was associated with an increased risk of developing hemorrhoids and/or anal fissures [odds ratio 3.68, 95% CI: 2.1–6.47]. Conclusion: The study showed that sitting down for 5 hr or more per day might increase the risk of developing hemorrhoids and/or anal fissures.
Correct sleeping position for fissure
HOD also advises you to sleep on your stomach to reduce anal fissure pain and place a pillow under your hips. Taking a fully body warm bath before bed is recommended for reducing the pain levels and helping you fall asleep better.
When the process of healing starts, the pain will reduce in both its severity and the number of times it occurs. It is possible to feel that constipation is less painful and that the stinging or burning feeling decreases as the day progresses. It is usually one of the earliest signs that the rift is beginning to close.
Pain and muscle clenching can cause your anal muscles to tighten and spasm. Muscle tension and anal spasms pull the fissure apart and reduce blood flow to the tissues. This makes it harder for it to heal, and also more painful, causing more tension.
Botox injections: In more severe cases, Botox may be injected into the anal muscles to help relax them and reduce the pain. This can promote faster healing. Surgery: If your fissure doesn't heal with other treatments, a small surgical procedure called lateral internal sphincterotomy may be required.
An acute anal fissure typically heals within 6 weeks with conservative treatment. Some disappear when constipation is treated. Anal fissures that last for 6 weeks or more are called chronic anal fissures. These fail conservative treatment and need a more aggressive, surgical approach.
Anal fissures are small tears that occur when the tissue lining the anus is stretched too far. They can occur in people of all ages, and they are often mistaken for hemorrhoids.
Common causes of an anal fissure include constipation and straining or passing hard or large stools during a bowel movement. Anal fissures typically cause pain and bleeding with bowel movements. You also may experience spasms in the ring of muscle at the end of your anus, called the anal sphincter.
Anal fissures cause unbearable pain for a couple of reasons. First, the anal tissue is naturally sensitive, and anal discomfort is expected when problems affect the tissue, like an anal fissure or external hemorrhoids. Second, the anal tissue tear exposes the anal sphincter muscle.
Don't sit for too long
Whether you're sitting too long on the toilet, at your desk, or behind the wheel, spending lots of time on your butt can aggravate your hemorrhoids.
Conditions That Cause Buttock Pain
Your buttock pain when sitting might happen due to different conditions, including proximal hamstring tendinopathy, ischial tuberosity bursitis, sciatica (lumbar nerve root impingement), piriformis syndrome, and gluteal tendinopathy.
But itching provides no relief and may make your symptom worse. And any extra pressure on the area, like when you're sitting, may exacerbate your discomfort. It's also not unusual for this type of itchiness to increase after a bowel movement or at night when you're trying to sleep.
Many anal fissures heal on their own. However, it's important to visit your doctor when you see blood in your stool or experience pain around your anus.
Support your feet with a small step stool when you sit on the toilet. This helps flex your hips and places your pelvis in a squatting position. Your doctor may recommend an over-the-counter laxative, such as Milk of Magnesia or Restoralax.
With an anal fissure, you should not strain during bowel movements, hold in the urge to go, sit on the toilet for too long, eat constipating foods (like red meat, fast food, cheese), consume spicy foods, or use harsh wiping, as these actions worsen pain, inflammation, and healing; instead, focus on soft stools with fiber/fluids, gentle hygiene, and sitz baths.
Vitamin deficiencies – can lead to dry and itchy skin which if left untreated might end up in manifestation of skin fissures. A healthy skin needs a good number of proteins and vitamins like Vitamin B, C, A, E, D and K and minerals like zinc and essential fatty acids like omega fatty acids.
Anal fissures often heal within a few weeks with appropriate home treatment. Take steps to keep the stool soft, such as increasing your intake of fiber and fluids. Soak in warm water for 10 to 20 minutes several times a day, especially after bowel movements. This can help relax the sphincter and promote healing.
Most anal fissures heal in a few days or weeks with home treatment. But if a fissure lasts more than 8 to 12 weeks, you may need prescription medicines. These may include cream or gel vasodilator medicines or botulinum toxin (Botox) injections. In rare cases, surgery may be needed.
Anal Fissures Symptoms to Look Out For:
A piece of skin that may hang out. You could feel it when you put your finger towards the inner part of your anus or the rim of your anus. A lump that appears bloody.
Reoccurring Fissures: If the fissure heals but keeps coming back, a more developed treatment might be necessary. Severe Pain: If the pain becomes unbearable and nonsurgical treatments aren't providing relief, laser surgery might be the best option.