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This uncomfortable condition can make it very painful to pass stools

	Most anal tears can be healed with simple treatments. But chronic tears may require minor surgery. Turn to ConsumerReportsHealth.org for information on the dietary changes that can help your anal tear heal.
	Subscribe to ConsumerReportsHealth.org to find out which type of minor surgery rates best for treating anal tears.

Doctors don't know why some people get anal tears and others don't. Some reasons why you may get an anal tear are passing hard and dry stools, and having constipation or diarrhea. We've brought together the best research about anal tears and weighed the evidence about how to treat them. You can use our information to talk with your doctor and decide which treatments are best for you.

Key points about anal tears

• Most people with an anal tear get better with simple measures such as taking warm baths and changing their diet.
• But if you have a chronic tear (more than four weeks) you may need to have minor surgery to help the anus relax. Relaxing the anus helps blood flow to the skin of the anus, helping the tear to heal.
• Internal anal sphincterotomy, a minor operation in which a doctor makes a small cut in the anal muscle to relax it, is thought to be effective for treating anal tears.
• Glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) ointment applied to the anus can help anal tears also, but 4 in 10 people get headaches from it.
• Treatments for anal tears that need further study include Botox injections and taking the calcium channel blocker drug diltiazem.

If you have an anal tear, the main things you'll notice are pain and blood in your stools. The pain you get can be so sharp and intense that some people say that passing a stool is like trying to pass broken glass. And the pain can last for a while after you've been to the bathroom.

We encourage you to read our entire condition report and to consult with your doctor to learn more about anal tears. As a Consumer Reports Health subscriber, you’ll have access to our expert research and recommendations, and you’ll be more confident and knowledgeable about which treatments are best for you.