How to treat postpartum anal fissures

Video: Anal Fissure Treatment Without Surgery | Anal Fissure Home Treatment

Content

Steps
Method 1 of 3: Use home remedies
Method 2 of 3: Get medical attention
Method 3 of 3: Surgery
Tips
Warnings

Pregnant women often complain of constipation due to the growing baby pressing on the rectum. As a result of frequent constipation, anal fissures appear - small tears of anal tissues. During pregnancy, this condition occurs in a third of all women. Due to anal fissures during bowel movements, pain and bleeding of a bright red color are possible. They are rarely serious and usually heal within 4 to 6 weeks with home treatment. If home remedies don't work, you can use special medications or surgery if needed.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Use home remedies

1 Take hot sitz baths. A sitz bath is a bath of warm water that is taken while sitting for therapeutic purposes or to cleanse the rectal area.
- Take a sitz bath after a bowel movement. This will cleanse the anus without irritating it with toilet paper, thereby relieving spasms and increasing blood flow to the anus.
- You can buy a sitz bath that fits easily into the toilet. If you tell your doctor about problems with anal fissures, he will advise where you can get one. It is also sold in stores that specialize in medical supplies.
- Attach a tub to the toilet and fill it with warm water. Check the water temperature first with your finger or elbow so that it is not too hot or unpleasant.
- Most sitz baths have holes through which water is drained. If there are no such holes, then you need to periodically change the water to keep it clean and warm.
- You need to take a bath for 10 to 20 minutes. During this time, try to sit quietly, without making any sudden movements, in order to completely relax.
2 Eat foods high in fiber. Fiber promotes regular bowel movements. Foods that are high in fiber soften the stool, making it pass faster. Thanks to this, anal fissures heal faster.
- The National Academy of Sciences of the Institute of Medicine (USA) recommends that women consume 21-25 grams of fiber daily, depending on their age. On average, most Americans consume only 5-14 grams.
- Apples, oranges, raisins, figs, pears, and berries are high in fiber. It is also abundant in whole wheat grains such as whole grain breads and pasta, as well as oatmeal, cereals, and bran muffins. Vegetables like broccoli, green peas, potatoes and Brussels sprouts. Some nuts and legumes are high in fiber, such as black beans, lima beans, beans, and various seeds.
- However, in an effort to obtain fiber, you should not overuse foods that are difficult for the body to absorb. Avoid nuts, popcorn, corn chips, and other hard foods with sharp edges
3 Drink plenty of fluids. Soft stools help relieve anal fissure pain and promote rectal healing. By consuming more fluids, you will soften your stools.
- Make it a goal to drink 8 glasses of water daily. Drink only water with meals, not juice, soda, or other drinks.
- When leaving the house, take a bottle of water with you and drink as soon as you feel thirsty.
4 Exercise. Regular exercise prevents constipation from aggravating fissures and therefore helps anal fissures heal. If possible, try to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day. Talk with your doctor about what physical activities you can do after giving birth. It all depends on what kind of birth you had. Based on this, your doctor will compile a safe exercise list for you.

Method 2 of 3: Get medical attention

1 Take local anesthetics and steroids. By applying local anesthetics together with a steroid cream before bowel movements, pain caused by anal fissures can be reduced.
- Local anesthetics: xylocaine, lidocaine, tetracaine, and pramoxine. Although some anesthetics are available over the counter, most require a prescription. Ask your doctor for a recommendation and, if necessary, a prescription for an anesthetic to help relieve pain from anal fissures.
- Creams should be applied to the rectal area before bowel movements with gentle movements. You can use a clean paper towel or tissue to do this. Some pharmacies sell wipes that are specifically designed for these creams.
- The application of creams and ointments is often combined with a small amount of steroids. They help reduce inflammation and pain associated with bowel movements.
- Do not take steroids with anesthetics for more than 2 weeks. Longer use of steroids can cause thinning of the rectal wall, causing further injury in this area.
2 Use stool softeners. Your healthcare professional should recommend a stool softener. This medication can help relieve pain and effort during bowel movements, so cracks can heal.
- Although stool softeners are usually sold without a prescription, you need to get them prescribed by your doctor. If you are breastfeeding, then you need a softener that will not harm your baby.
- Take stool softeners according to package directions. Take it at the recommended dosage and be aware of possible side effects. If there are any side effects, please discuss it with your doctor.
- Drinking more fluids and eating fiber-rich foods with stool softeners can help anal fissures heal faster.
3 Ask your doctor about nitroglycerin. Some ointments contain a muscle relaxant called nitroglycerin. Nitroglycerin helps to relax the sphincter muscles and reduce contractions and spasms during bowel movements, as well as increase blood flow to the anus. Thanks to this, the rectal area is less traumatized and anal fissures heal faster.
- Nitroglycerin is applied with a cotton swab. Apply some ointment to a cotton swab and insert the tip into the anus. Insert only the cotton swab.
- Usually, the ointment contains a small concentration of nitroglycerin, about 0.2%. Topical use of nitroglycerin to treat anal fissures is considered safe during breastfeeding.
- Side effects sometimes occur when using nitroglycerin. The most common side effects are headache or dizziness.

Method 3 of 3: Surgery

1 Find out when surgery may be needed. Most anal fissures heal on their own within 4 to 6 weeks.> If anal fissures do not heal with medication during this period, your doctor may recommend surgery.
- Standard surgery to treat anal fissures involves removing part of the sphincter muscle. This helps to relax the intestines and heal cracks.
- After surgery, cracks disappear in 90% of women, so this procedure is quite effective.
2 Prepare for surgery. Your doctor will tell you what to do to get ready for your surgery. Follow all of his instructions and if you have any questions, then do not hesitate to ask them.
- You will probably be told not to eat or drink anything after midnight on the day before your surgery.
- Your doctor will tell you which medications to take before surgery and which to avoid, including any herbal supplements or over-the-counter sleeping pills.
- Bowel preparation is usually done before anal fissure surgery.You may be given an enema or laxative before the surgery.
3 How to recover from surgery. Anal fissure surgery is an outpatient surgery. This means that if there are no complications, you will leave the hospital on the day of this procedure. Your doctor will explain what you need to do to quickly recover from your surgery.
- You can return to your daily activities shortly after surgery, but this should be done gradually. Going for a walk at night after surgery will reduce the risk of life-threatening blood clots.
- Depending on the type of surgery, it will be possible to return to work in 1 - 4 weeks. Try not to drive a car until you stop taking pain relievers.
- After surgery, a wound remains in the rectal area that needs to be healed. Keep the wound clean and dry and take a sitz bath 3 times a day. Blood may ooze from the wound for several days after surgery, so attach the gauze securely in place.

Tips

If you are a nursing mother, do not take any medications or ointments without consulting your doctor. You need to make sure the medication won't harm your baby.
Some doctors give Botox injections to treat fissures, although there is no definite opinion on this issue.