Anal Fissure Treatment in Yelahanka

A small tear in the skin just inside the anus. It usually happens because a hard stool stretches the skin and it splits. It hurts a lot, and it can bleed a little. Most heal with simple changes at home. Ones that keep coming back may need a small procedure.

Does this sound like you?

Tick the ones you have.

Sharp pain when you pass stool

Pain that carries on for a while afterwards

Bright red blood on the paper or in the pan

A small sore you can feel or see

The area feels tight or keeps spasming

It keeps coming back after it heals

What actually happens

The skin inside the anus is thin and very sensitive. It has to stretch every time stool passes. When the stool is hard, dry or unusually large, the stretch is too much and the skin splits.

Simplified diagram. Hard or large stool stretches the lining until it splits.

6 wks

after this it is called chronic

25–30g

fibre a day keeps stool soft

10–15 min

a warm sitz bath calms it

4–6 wks

typical healing for a new tear

What you can do about it

Treatment builds up in steps. Most people never need more than the first one.

1 Start at home

For most people this is enough.

More fibre — vegetables, fruit, whole grains, dal, beans
Plenty of water through the day
Go when you need to; do not push or rush
Gentle wiping, then pat dry
Warm sitz baths, 10–15 minutes

2 A prescribed cream

If home changes are not enough on their own.

A doctor may add a nitrate, a calcium channel blocker, or a muscle-relaxing cream alongside the home measures. These are prescription medicines. Nitrates commonly give a headache, and they are not right for everyone.

3 A small procedure

Only if it is chronic or keeps returning.

The usual operation is a lateral internal sphincterotomy — a small, controlled cut in the muscle inside the anus, which takes the pressure off so the tear can heal. Usually a day-case under local or short general anaesthetic.

It is generally saved for chronic fissures, because there is a small risk to bowel control. Your surgeon will weigh that with you first.

Do not wait — get seen

Heavy bleeding that will not stop

Severe pain together with a fever

Red, hot swelling that is spreading

Black, tarry stools

Bleeding with no pain at all

A change in bowel habit, or weight you cannot explain

For anything on this list, call the hospital on 87478 74666 or go to the nearest emergency department. Bleeding without pain is not typical of a fissure and always needs checking.

Common questions

Is a fissure the same as piles?

No. A fissure is a tear in the skin. Piles are swollen blood vessels. They can happen together and both can bleed, but they are different problems with different treatment.

Will it heal on its own?

Most new tears do, once your stool is soft and your toilet habits improve. Anything still troubling you after 6 weeks is less likely to settle this way, so get it looked at.

Is the operation painful?

The operation itself is done under local or short general anaesthetic and is usually a day-case. The first few days afterwards are the sorriest, and regular painkillers keep it manageable.

Can I treat it at home?

Yes — more fibre, more water, no straining, warm baths and gentle wiping will do a lot. Avoid putting creams on without advice, and get checked if the pain or bleeding runs on past a few weeks.

Will it come back?

It can, if constipation and straining return. Keeping fibre, water and regular toilet habits steady is what stops it coming back.

Does blood in the stool always mean piles?

No. Rectal bleeding has many possible causes and some need prompt investigation. Painless bleeding in particular is not a fissure, and should always be assessed.

Still hurting?

Most fissures settle with simple measures, but a persistent one is much easier to sort out early. A short examination is all it usually takes to work out where you are on the ladder.

Call 87478 74666 Book an appointment

Medically reviewed by: the medical team, Dhaara Speciality Hospital, Yelahanka, Bengaluru.

Last updated: 1 October 2026

This page is written to help you understand what is going on. It is general information, not personal medical advice, and it cannot replace a consultation. Please talk to the treating clinician about your own situation.