Hi Alyssa,
I was asked to do an anal manometry to confirm my condition but the doctor was pretty sure of it already from my symptoms. He explained to me with the help of a diagram of the rectal
Muscles what the problem is with me. I therefore didn't do the test because it involved taking an enema and I didn't want to aggravate the pain.

Diagram of the rectal muscles? What is that and how is that done?

It's a drawing that he used to show me what exactly is the problem.

SSK,

May I ask what your symptoms are? I too am experiencing pain despite being healed and I am beyond frustrated!

My symptoms: rectal burning/ stinging, irritation, paper cut feeling around my anus; sitting for long periods of time makes the burning pain increase, sometimes too much walking does it too. When I have a bowel movement it stings/ burns and when I wipe it stings and is tender to the touch. I feel dull ache (soreness)/ pain all day; there is no visible irritation or redness.

I have been doing physical therapy for the last 3 months but have not improved much (it has helped) so I will be referred to another specialist at Kaiser in San Francisco. I too feel like giving up, I am tired of dealing with this, I want my normal life back!!!

Hi Alyssa,
I have pain (sometimes dull, other times severe) after BMs. It lasts all day if I don't take pain medication (tramadol). But I don't have this pain everyday. I have it 2-3 days a week. It is random and doesn't seem to be related to the consistency of my BMs. The pain is to my left side only and I also feel it in my lower back. Most BMs are pain free but rarely I do feel a sting on pinch while going. This happens when the stool is more formed than usual. But the burn goes away very quickly and all that remains is that annoying pain.
What kind of physiotherapy are you doing?

SSK,

I am doing physical therapy; I am given relaxing exercises to do at home 3 times a day. But since there has not been much improvement with these exercises, my PT has referred me to someone else. My PT thinks that botox in the muscles might help but the specialist(s) will determine my treatment plan.

This week... my physical therapist decided to massage the rectal muscles directly (instead of vaginally) and I felt relieved after our session but later the pain was there. She did say that my rectal muscles were tight so I hope that I am close to getting an answer to this problem.

My pain is more dull....

Ssk,

Did you have any bleeding even though you were healed or just pain?

I didn't have any bleeding except for may be 2 times at the very beginning of the fissure. That was almost 2 years ago.

Alyssa and SSK I am in the same boat. Had Botox and then a lis but the pain never went completely away. Then they gave me more Botox and ripped again during that. My crs says I rip easily (yes I know) and says I may have levator ani also. I honestly believe it is just muscle spasms from ripping over and over. I would like a second lis but she didn't see an active fissure (until she ripped me a new one). She wants me to have some tests, manometery and anal ultrasound but not sure if I can handle the pain as I am still so horribly sore during and after a bm. How woefully disappointed I am to still be like this after 2.5 years. But I have hope that one day I will heal. (Maybe I'm crazy). Please let me know what helps you. I may get the tears done this September. Might I ask, did they cut he whole canal or just a tailored lis? I believe this is the problem, got a trailered and that much of the canal feels relaxed but the rest feels tight