Anal fissures are a common but painful condition. The agonising pain, bleeding, and discomfort brought on by these tiny tears in the anal lining make even a toilet visit a misery. The questions “what causes anal fissure?” and “how can Ayurveda help?” are often asked by those who have it. Causes of an anal fissure include straining, chronic constipation, or frequent diarrhoea. Ayurveda emphasises root cause analysis to promote long-term healing, less bleeding, and a quicker recovery. Simple Ayurvedic home remedies for fissures, lifestyle changes, and treatments like Ksharasutra can provide long-term recovery from anal fissures. This blog will discuss Ayurvedic treatment for fissures, including natural therapies, dietary adjustments, lifestyle modifications, and information on the signs and causes of fissures.
Symptoms of Anal Fissure
A little rip in the anal lining may not seem serious, but anybody who has had an anal fissure understands how painful it is. The discomfort isn’t only for going to the bathroom; it lingers and affects the everyday quality of life. Some people have mild itching or little bleeding, while others describe intense, searing pain. The onset of symptoms might be gradual or abrupt, depending on the severity of the fissure. Quicker recovery and avoiding long-term issues are possible outcomes of the early detection of these symptoms. Keep an eye out for these signs:
- Intense pain, making even the most basic everyday activities, like sitting or walking, very difficult.
- Bright red blood streaks, caused by fissures, may be seen before, during, and after bowel movements.
- A small cut or a skin tag, sometimes called a sentinel pile, might be seen at the site of the fissure, leading to an anal opening-related lump or swelling. In cases with chronic fissure, this is often obvious.
- Anal muscle straining or spasms are common side effects, which may impede recovery and lead to bowel issues in many people.
Ignoring these signs may lead to a long-term crack growing much worse. Ayurvedic treatment for fissures includes medications that alleviate symptoms and prevent further infection.
What are the Causes of Anal Fissure
One of the main causes of an anal fissure is recurrent pressure on the anal canal, which often happens as a consequence of constipation. A sedentary lifestyle, a low-fiber diet, certain medications, bowel irregularities, or digestive issues may all lead to hard stools. This might cause the anal canal to split when subjected to stress or motion. While some fissures heal over time, some can become chronic. Finding the root cause of anal fissure is crucial for faster healing and preventing its recurrence.
- Bowel irregularities: Intestinal mucosa is delicate and may easily sustain tiny tears due to irregular bowel movements. There is a higher risk of recurrent anal tears and a longer healing time if constipation is severe. The anal canal may also become inflamed if the protective layer is irritated by chronic diarrhoea.
- Unhealthy food choices: The anal region may get irritated by dry and hard stools as a result of consuming processed foods, dehydration, and a low-fiber diet.
- Pregnancy and childbirth: Hormonal and physiological changes during pregnancy and childbirth might slow digestion and disrupt intestinal regularity. Fissures may develop in certain women after vaginal birth as a result of the intense pressure on the perineal region during the delivery process.
- Trauma: The sensitive skin around the anus might become inflamed due to the use of harsh chemical cleansers, anal intercourse, rough toilet paper, trauma from medical procedures, or poor hygiene practices.
- Gut issues: Fissures are more common in people with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), acidity, and other gastrointestinal conditions because these make the anal canal more brittle and prone to inflammation.
Anal Fissure in Ayurveda
Fissure is known as Parikarthika in Ayurveda, which denotes sharp, cutting pain in the anal region. The predominant vitiated dosha is Vata, which affects Twak (skin), Rakta (blood) and Maṃsa (muscle), specifically inGuda Pradesa (anal region). The Ayurvedic treatment for fissure focuses on restoring digestion and balancing the doshas with medicines, diet, and lifestyle changes. The goal of the treatment is not only to reduce symptoms but also to promote healing and prevent recurrence using a multidimensional approach.
- Applying healing herbal ghee formulas or medicines relieves pain, quickens the healing of the fissure by supporting tissue regeneration, and prevents infections.
- Internal medicines are given to improve gut health. This relieves constipation, chronic diarrhoea, and low digestive power and repairs the mucosal lining. As gut health improves, it prevents the recurrence of fissures.
- For fissures that don’t heal with medicines alone, Ksharasutra therapy, a para-surgical Ayurveda procedure in healing and preventing the recurrence of fissures, is effective. It is a safe therapy with minimal bleeding and faster recovery, with negligible rate of recurrence and anal incontinence. It preserves the natural functioning of anal sphincters and patients recover faster and resume their daily routine much sooner compared to conventional surgical methods.
Ayurvedic Home Remedies for Fissure
- A warm sitz bath with herb-infused water helps tissue repair and relieves pain. An experienced Ayurveda doctor can help you select herbs that suit your health condition.
- Eat fresh, warm, freshly-cooked meals with fiber to avoid constipation and gut issues. Drink enough water to maintain hydration. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and smoking.
- Maintain a regular daily routine to improve your gut. Eat at a consistent time and avoid late-night snacking that can burden your digestive system. Maintain a healthy sleep cycle.
- Physical activity can help ease constipation and prevent the development of fissures. Additionally, breathing exercises and Pranayama can reduce stress.
- Ayurveda considers Takra (buttermilk) one of the best digestive drinks, especially for those suffering from anal fissures. Unlike heavy dairy products, buttermilk is light, easy to digest, and helps regulate bowel movements, making it one of the best Ayurvedic home remedies for fissure.
Apollo AyurVAID’s Approach to Treat Anal Fissure
Apollo AyurVAID follows an evidence-based treatment approach to managing anal fissures, addressing not just the symptoms but also the root causes to ensure lasting relief and minimal recurrence. Every treatment plan starts with a thorough evaluation involving the degree and chronicity of the fissure, associated symptoms like pain and bleeding, and other variables like food, bowel habits, inflammatory diseases, or digestive problems. The location of the fissures and sphincter tone is also determined.
Our plan consists of local therapies, internal formulations, and Ayurvedic treatment for fissure, including medicated oil andKsharasutra, thus helping tissue repair, minimising muscular spasms, and restoring normal bowel function. Changes in pain, inflammation, and healing response are closely monitored. Post-healing, regular follow-ups are done to ensure the non-recurrence of fissures.
Though an anal fissure is a painful condition, with the correct Ayurveda treatment healing is not only achievable but also permanent. Combining modern diagnostic tools with traditional Ayurvedic treatment for fissure, Apollo AyurVAID follows a whole-person approach that guarantees not just freedom from symptoms but also total healing from within.
References
- V., S. M. and Dhule, M. (2021) “Ayurvedic Management of Parikarthika (Acute Fissure in Ano) – A Case Study”, Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International, 33(43B), pp. 160–163. doi: 10.9734/jpri/2021/v33i43B32540. https://journaljpri.com/
index.php/JPRI/
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