The pain you get:

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
American Gastroenterological Association.
Technical review on the diagnosis and care of patients with anal fissure.
Gastroenterology. 2003; 124: 235-245.

 

 

 

 

 

¹

You probably won't bleed very much. But the blood you see in your stools or on the toilet paper will be fresh and bright red.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
American Gastroenterological Association.
American Gastroenterological Association medical position statement: diagnosis and care of patients with anal fissure.
Gastroenterology. 2003; 124: 233-234.

 

 

 

 

 

²

If you have a chronic tear (a tear that lasts for more than four weeks), you may be in pain for hours. You may even have some pain most of the time.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
American Gastroenterological Association.
American Gastroenterological Association medical position statement: diagnosis and care of patients with anal fissure.
Gastroenterology. 2003; 124: 233-234.

 

 

 

 

 

² Chronic anal tears are usually deeper than the ones that heal quickly. This means that more of your skin is damaged.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Pfenninger JL, Zainea GG.
Common anorectal conditions: part II: lesions.
American Family Physician. 2001; 64: 77-88.

 

 

 

 

 

³

Sometimes a small lump or swelling appears at the end of the tear furthest from your

 

 

 

 

 

anus
The anus, which is at the end of the rectum, is where a stool leaves your body when you go to the bathroom. Part of the anus is a muscle that helps you hold in the stool until you are on the toilet.

 

 

 

 

 

anus. This is called a sentinel tag. It's not a

 

 

 

 

 

hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids are swollen veins in the anus. Sometimes you can see or feel them and sometimes they are inside the anus. Hemorrhoids can hurt and bleed. They usually happen when you strain a lot to pass a stool.

 

 

 

 

 

hemorrhoid (which is a cluster of small blood vessels).

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Pfenninger JL, Zainea GG.
Common anorectal conditions: part II: lesions.
American Family Physician. 2001; 64: 77-88.

 

 

 

 

 

³ Because anal tears bleed and there's swelling around the tear, they're often mistaken for hemorrhoids.

You may feel embarrassed about seeing your doctor with this problem. But your doctor will have seen plenty of people with anal problems before. There's no need to suffer in silence.

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