Fissures in the anus are really painful injuries, not only at the time of going to the bathroom, but they often make daily life difficult for those who suffer from them.
The problem with anal fissures is that they are usually treated only superficially, with creams or medication, they can even lead to surgery, but if the cause for which the fissure is there is not resolved, a true cure will hardly be achieved. How long it takes to heal a fissure in the anus will fundamentally depend on this .
In this FastlyHealarticle, we explain why an anal fissure occurs and what you can do to get rid of it.
Table of Contents
What is an anal fissure
Anal fissures are tears in the thin layer that covers the anus , called the mucosa, which can even extend into the muscles of the anal sphincter.
They can be acute when they have occurred recently and chronic when they have lasted more than 8 weeks, but rest assured that both can improve if you can identify why they have occurred and correct the cause.
How long does a fissure in the anus take to heal and heal?
A fissure in the anus can occur for many different reasons and, basically, its duration will depend on the correction of the cause for which it appeared .
You can use creams, ointments, increase your fiber intake and even resort to surgery, but if you do not correct the reason why the anus has been injured, it is very difficult for everything to really return to normal.
Let’s see what causes an anal fissure and how long it might take to heal.
Pay attention if you have one or more factors that can cause it, as this will directly affect its resolution. If you take steps that can reverse the cause, you will improve faster than you thought, even if the fissure is chronic.
Constipation
People with constipation often think that this is just their body, but habits have a lot to do with it. Often suffering from constipation who:
- Contains gas, fecal matter, or urine when you want to pass them.
- Eat little or no whole grains (rice, oats, wheat, corn, rye, barley, quinoa).
- Eat little or no seasonal and ripe fruits and vegetables.
- He does not exercise.
- You don’t sleep properly at night.
Likewise, forcing bowel movements is not healthy either. It is better to correct the aforementioned habits to be able to defecate properly and effortlessly.
Later on, you will see some practical tips to effectively improve constipation. If you succeed, the fissure will surely heal on its own in a short time, from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the severity of the fissure .
Chronic diarrhea
Although the opposite is true, defecating abundantly and several times a day irritates the anus and can cause fissures.
In this case, the same thing happens: if your stool returns to normal, the fissure may heal on its own in a few days or weeks .
Part
During pregnancy and especially after childbirth, a woman can suffer from anal fissure. On the one hand, it can be caused by the effort of labor itself, but this would not explain why women who have a cesarean section can also suffer from it.
An anal fissure in these cases is usually associated with the fact that this stage of life tends to pass with greater dryness and, if the appropriate measures are not taken, constipation and various difficulties may appear during childbirth that can lead to this type of injury.
When the dryness in the body is corrected, constipation is usually reversed, this is essential so that the fissure heals in a short time. This healing can also take from a few days to several weeks , depending on the depth of the fissure, how you are sleeping, feeding, and on your stomach.
Sexual intercourse
If you have anal intercourse, fissures are likely to occur in this area of the body, simply because physiologically it is not ready for it.
It is possible that if you continue to practice anal sex, the fissure will not heal completely and will become chronic. The healing of injuries that occur in this way can also be reversed easily and in a short time if irritation of the anal area is avoided .
If you want to keep keeping them, you should at least wait until the fissure heals, but this does not ensure that it cannot reappear later.
Colon diseases
Some inflammatory pathologies such as Crohn’s disease or infectious, such as syphilis or tuberculosis, can cause the mucosa of the rectum and anus to be inflamed. When this happens, a crack may occur.
In this case, the lesions tend to become chronic and are more difficult to reverse because, precisely, the cause for which the disease appeared in the digestive tract must be reversed. It is important to identify the first cause that is usually related to habits and emotional states, for example, review eating habits, sleep, exercise, eliminate excessive worry, stress, anxiety, etc.
Anal cancer
It is very rare, but a fissure can be a possible manifestation of a mass in the anus. It is often associated with other signs such as chronic bleeding, weight loss, among others.
Also in this case it can be improved if the habits that have led to the appearance of the tumor are actually reversed.
In addition, treatments such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery are usually applied, which is essential to accompany with healthy food, good rest and support according to the need of the person.
Are anal fissures dangerous?
It cannot be said that anal fissures are dangerous in themselves, but they can be really annoying for the sufferer.
These types of injuries warn that your body is out of balance. You can pay attention to that warning and correct the habits that have generated that problem or just attend to the fissure as an isolated event that has nothing to do with your habits.
When you only see the fissure and you don’t see your body as a whole, two things can happen:
- That the fissure heals with treatment, but later other disorders related to your imbalance appear, for example, you continue with constipation and after a few years diverticula appear in the colon.
- That the fissure does not heal and worsens, affecting the muscle layer and becoming chronic.
Of course, you should pay attention to whether an anal fissure becomes chronic, does not heal, bleeds frequently and, even worse, if it does not hurt, because it can also be a case of anal cancer . Although it is rare, it must be diagnosed early to make treatment easier and more effective. That is the only case in which a fissure can be dangerous .
How to heal a fissure in the anus
As I have told you, it is essential to correct the causes for which the fissure has appeared, this is how it will really heal:
Eat healthy
Including whole grains, seasonal fruits and vegetables, and legumes. Avoid processed, refined foods (sugar, flour, and white salt), vegetable oils, alcohol, coffee, black tea, tobacco, excess dairy, and meats.
Do not contain what you must remove
Do not avoid the elimination of gases, urine and fecal matter. These impulses when they are stopped generate damage to the internal structures of the body, promoting constipation, for example.
Practice exercise
It is recommended at least 30 minutes of exercise every day, depending on your physical condition. Excess is unhealthy and can also lead to constipation.
Sitz baths
Warm water in the genital area can help improve circulation and relieve symptoms of an anal fissure. You can do them only with warm water or apply an herb such as mallow or calendula , both are excellent anti-inflammatories.
Medical treatment
If you go to a professional, they can indicate a cream or ointment to temporarily relieve the symptoms:
- Anesthetic ointment : they are based on lidocaine, for example. They cannot be abused, but their use in a first stage can be useful until you can correct your habits.
- Nitroglycerin : serves to increase blood circulation in the anal area, but has numerous adverse effects at a general level, since it is a medication that increases vasodilation. Among the most frequent are headaches. I suggest avoiding it within the possibilities.
- Antihypertensives : Certain medications used to lower blood pressure can be used to relax the anal sphincter muscle. They are prescribed in particular cases and can be administered orally or externally. The most used are diltiazem and nifedipine.
- Botox : Botulinum toxin injection directly paralyzes the anal muscle, which will not cause painful muscle spasms, but this also does not actually fix the problem, it only treats the symptom.
Surgical treatment
When medical treatments do not work, surgery is usually used. It involves making an incision in an area of the anal sphincter to avoid muscle contractions that often cause pain and make it difficult to heal the fissure.
When compared to creams and oral medication, surgical treatment is the one that gives the best results in a chronic fissure, but, as you can understand, cutting the muscle that allows you to voluntarily decide to go or not to defecate can lead to incontinence , that is, defecate without wanting to do so.
This incontinence does not appear in all cases, but long-term consequences can appear if you do not correct, for example, constipation.
This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to How long does it take to heal a fissure in the anus? , we recommend that you enter our Digestive System category .

I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.