A digital rectal exam, which may be painful, may be needed if a definitive diagnosis of anal fissures cannot be made based on a patient’s history. 1 Anoscopy, which also may be painful, can be used to ...

An anal fissure is a tear or ulcer in the lining of the anal canal, the final part of the large intestine, starting from the rectum above and ending at the anal orifice. Anal fissures are relatively ...

Dear Dr. Roach: My husband has been diagnosed with a rectal fissure. It has been a couple of months, and it isn't any better. He has been treated only with a stool softener. What do you suggest? — A.T ...

In many cases, anal fissures can heal fast with the help of nonsurgical treatments, such as dietary changes, over-the-counter stool softeners, and topical creams. However, they may recur if the ...

Current treatments for anal fissures focus on reducing the tone of the internal anal sphincter, whether by sphincterotomy, injection of botulinum toxin or the topical application of nitroglycerin or ...

Medical therapy is an established first-line approach for the treatment of patients with chronic anal fissure; however, the efficacy of individual agents versus placebo remains to be proven in this ...

How do you treat a recurrent anal fissure, 6 months after adequate lateral sphincterotomy? The patient is a 65-year-old, markedly obese man with no evidence of inflammatory bowel disease. An anal ...

An anal fissure involves stretching and tearing of the rim of the anus. It may result from several possible causes, or present in various circumstances. These include: a lot of pressure on the area, ...

(Reuters) - Ventrus Biosciences Inc's shares plunged 66 percent after the company said its lead experimental treatment for anal fissures failed to reduce pain compared with a placebo in a second ...

Dear A.T.S.: Anal fissures are painful. Although a stool softener is one part of management for people who have constipation, additional treatments also are appropriate, including a sitz bath, which ...