Hi, I've had 2 fissures that I know of, the first healed on it's own, a year later I got the 2nd one and it would not heal. I had LIS and it didn't help. I struggled for 5 years with the darn thing. It would heal and tear and heal and tear. After the first few years I started getting these charlie horse like spasms up the bum and I had urinary urgency issues. They were just awful. My bum was very tight and even with stool softeners my bms were too narrow and difficult to pass. Last March I went back to my CRS and he explained that all the scar tissue from a previous surgery and the tearing and healing cycle of my fissure had cause so much scar tissue I was diagnosed with anal stenosis. Surgery was my only option. I had double advancement flaps. After the surgery my pathology report came back chronic inflammation with granulation in the tissue they removed. If you have a fissure that has become chronic and it's not healing fully you probably have chronic inflammation too. This can cause burning, itching and a general achy feeling. After the surgery it took a long time for things to settle down. I'm at the 9 month mark and doing really good, things just keep improving. To prevent the tightness part of my recovery is dilation. I was doing this once a day but I'm down to every other day. It really does help. Keeps the muscle stretched and the scar tissue stretchable. I went through a short time of itching so the doctor gave me a sample tube of analpram HC. It worked really well. I didn't have to use it much thank god but it stopped the itchiness right away. I found that washing the area and using a hair dryer to dry things off also helps. Be sure you're wearing cotton under garments. They absorb moisture, too much moisture can cause itching too. To anyone struggling with a fissure long term, don't suffer. Talk to your CRS about your options and don't be afraid of surgery. Don't let the fissure win. Take whatever steps you have to to get your life back. I waited a long time (5years) before I had surgery because I was so scared. If I had to do it all over again I wouldn't have waited. I hope everyone heals quickly and gets their live back. All the best.
Suzy