When it hurts to defecate or even to sit down, you may wonder if you have a common source of anal pain called hemorrhoids. While hemorrhoids are the most common reason behind anal pain, they’re not the only one. Right behind them come anal fissures.
Hemorrhoids are swollen veins. Fissures are tears in your anal canal. Both can be exceedingly painful.
At Colon and Rectal Surgeons of Greater Hartford, we urge you to take all anal pain seriously. Even though the cause is usually benign, anal pain can also be a sign of cancer. Our colorectal experts diagnose and treat all sources of anal pain at our offices in Bloomfield, Hartford, Manchester, and South Windsor, Connecticut.
Do you think you have hemorrhoids? You might have fissures instead. Here’s how to tell the difference.
Hemorrhoids are swollen veins that are clustered around your anus. When you have hemorrhoids, you might even notice tissue protruding from your anus. This may make it uncomfortable to sit or defecate.
In contrast, anal fissures are tears inside the anal canal. If you have discomfort or pain, but your anus doesn’t have protrusions or swelling, you may have fissures, not hemorrhoids.
For the most part, pain that comes with hemorrhoids tends to be mild. Usually, it’s the discomfort of feeling like there’s something in your anus that can’t come out, or the sensation that you haven’t fully pooped that’s most disturbing.
In contrast, anal fissures can be quite painful. First, they’re wounds inside your anus and so, by their nature, cause pain. Second, they’re prone to infection, which would make the pain quite severe.
Both hemorrhoids and anal fissures can make your anus and the area surrounding it feel itchy and uncomfortable. You may also notice blood in your stool, or some anal bleeding between bathroom breaks.
However, rectal or anal bleeding and itching can also be signs of anal cancer. If you notice blood in or around your anus, or if there’s blood in your stool, contact us right away for an evaluation. Anal cancer can also cause you to feel like there’s something stuck or swollen in your anus, just as hemorrhoids do.
We can’t overemphasize the need for a medical evaluation if you notice anal bleeding that persists. However, if you have only mild discomfort and suspect that you have either anal fissures or hemorrhoids, you may try some self-care techniques for a few days. Fissures and hemorrhoids can clear on their own; anal cancer and some other conditions don’t.
Soak your buttocks, including your anus, in a tub of warm water. You may add salt or minerals to increase the water’s soothing properties.
You can purchase over-the-counter creams that reduce swelling in the anal area. These can shrink your hemorrhoids and lessen the pain from both conditions.
You can improve hemorrhoids and fissures — and prevent their recurrence — by adopting healthy habits. Eat plenty of fibrous foods, such as fresh vegetables, fruits, and sweet potatoes. Drink water or other healthy liquids (no sugar, fructose, artificial sweeteners, or alcohol) throughout the day.
Exercise increases your circulation, which brings nutrients and oxygen to your tissues — including your anal tissues. If your hemorrhoids or fissures make exercise uncomfortable, experiment with different types of movement to find one or two that you can perform daily to keep your heart pumping and blood flowing.
An important caveat is that if your condition doesn’t improve dramatically or resolve within a few days after following these recommendations, get our help. Both untreated hemorrhoids and anal fissures can become infected and turn into a very painful and hard-to-treat condition called fistulas. And, again, anal pain could be a sign of a more serious condition.
Do you have anal pain? Find out if it’s caused by anal fissures, hemorrhoids, or something else by contacting us for an expert evaluation today. You can reach our colorectal experts by phone or online form.
