Anal fissures may cause painful bowel movements and bleeding. There may be blood on the outside of the stool or on the toilet tissue (or baby wipes) following a bowel movement.

Other symptoms may include:

• A crack in the skin that can be seen when the area is stretched slightly (the fissure is almost always in the middle)
• Constipation

The health care provider will perform a rectal exam and look at a sample of the rectal (anal) tissue.

Images

Rectum

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Anal fissure Overview

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Anal fissure Treatment

Review Date: 09/21/2010
Reviewed By: Todd Eisner, MD, Private practice specializing in Gastroenterology, Boca Raton, FL. Clinical Instructor, Florida Atlantic University School of Medicine. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)