Is Lidocaine and Soaking Really a Cure?

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Is Lidocaine and Soaking Really a Cure?

Postby Jiggabean » 19 Oct 2012, 22:30

My primary care physician who thought I had an hemorrhoid and was fearful I had something worse sent me to a gastrointestinal physician. Luckily, the GI doctor was gentle and told me (as I previously researched the condition, looking for relief) I had an anal fissure. He compared it to a "paper cut". Ha... I have never had any on the outside of my body that felt like this. Granted, I think I may have experience this before but I am assuming they healed themselves.
I said all of that to day, the GI doctor prescribed RectiCare (supposedly OTC, I had to get it ordered which to say the least was a little embarassing) and Rectiv (which without a physican issued coupon is astronomical!!) Now, my GI doctor told me I probably didn't need the Rectiv so I am still holding onto the prescription. But my usual daily bowel movements are happening every two days and since the RectiCare just numbs everything down there but if I don't put it on frequently, I have constant burning and horrible itching. I have been soaking as well because that is what my physician said that wall all I would need and it would "heal itself". But this itching is unbearable and the burning has me acting like Prep H commercial. I am graduate school so I have 3 hour classes and sitting that long has proven to be agony.
My question is in the title. Will this be enough and "heal itself"? If so, how long? And I am overweight and my diet is abysmal because of my schedule, did that contribute to the condition?
Any advice is highly appreciated.
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Re: Is Lidocaine and Soaking Really a Cure?

Postby jr2 » 20 Oct 2012, 16:30

Jiggabean,
Fissures can and usually do heal on their own. The idea is to change up some things to give it the best possible chance of healing before it becomes chronic. One of the critical aspects of fissure care is to get bowel movements soft and easy to pass with no straining and no over stretching of the anus. This usually requires diet modifications as well as the addition of some kind of stool softener like Colace, Milk of Magnesia or Miralax.
By itself a local anesthetic won't do anything to heal your fissure but it can for some people help to manage the pain. Be careful, however, about overuse as local anesthetics can cause more itching and more irritation if you use it too often.
The Rectiv, on the other hand, is a medicine that can help with healing both by helping the sphincter muscle to relax and to increase circulation to the area to aid healing. When a person gets a fissure, the internal anal sphincter tightens in response to the injury. This tightening or spasming pulls on the wound edges and can make the fissure worse. The tightening also decreases the blood flow to the area, slowing healing.
Soaking in the tub in warm water helps to relax the muscle, increase circulation, and also helps to clean the area.
I hope your fissure heals for you very soon. It is such a painful affluction for us to cope with. I would recommend browsing around these forums. There is a lot of great advice on diet tips, stool softening, medications, etc.
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