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If you have an anal tear, the main things you'll notice are pain and blood in your stools.

The pain you get:¹

• Can be sharp and intense (some people say that passing a stool is like trying to pass broken glass)
• Can last for a while after you've been to the bathroom.

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.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.² Chronic anal tears are usually deeper than the ones that heal quickly. This means that more of your skin is damaged.³

Sometimes a small lump or swelling appears at the end of the tear furthest from your anus. This is called a sentinel tag. It's not a hemorrhoid (which is a cluster of small blood vessels).³ Because anal tears bleed and there's swelling around the tear, they're often mistaken for hemorrhoids.

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.