Hi Everyone
I am new to the forum and have been struggling with Anal fissures and other nasties for 4 months. We are going away in a few days so my goal has been for a cure or if not, then how to survive our holiday. I am healing slowly, I hope, as I don't have much pain during the day but the biggest problem has been sitting without great pain and therefore how to survive plane trips etc. After trying numerous things and using google for weeks I wanted to share with you what has helped. For sitting in the car I have a cushion that is filled with those tiny microbeads like mini bean bag beans. It has heaps of space, ie there are not a lot of beans for the cushion so it squishes into all shapes very easily. I have a travel pillow for your neck that has them in but it doesn't work as well because it is too full of the beans. I think the cushion works because it is super soft and I can move the pillow around to the best position easily. The other game changing thing I do now is to stand up to poop. I saw it on youtube under 'constipation pooping positions' and the only position that was good for me was the last one, the semi standing one. You stand at the toilet with knees slightly bent but NOT LEANING at all. No hands on legs, no butt out, just straight up and down. It just sort of falls out if you're really ready to go. The squat is good for general toileting but when you have a fissure you have to take the pressure off your butt so standing means there is the least force against the fissure. Pain while pooping for me reduced by like 95%. The other thing I believe is that the horrible stinging is partly from faeces against the fissure so I clean very well, but gently, after a BM. I have a shower if possible, or use 'no scent' wipes or just warm wet toilet paper (numerous pieces) I find the warmth of the paper also soothes and encourages more BM if you haven't quite finished. I have tried, and am trying, many things none of which has been the whole answer. I have tried accupuncture and chinese herbs. I take stool softeners, magnesium, wheatgrass, glutamine, aloe vera juice and am about to try Curcumin. Curcumin is from Turmeric and is an anti-inflammatory. I have applied Dr Wheatgrass's superbalm, turmeric, coconut oil, spray for athletes foot, antiseptic cream and witchhazel cream. I put on vaseline to aid going but don't know if it helps. I find the Dr Wheatgrass stings like crazy if put on in the hours following a BM so I wait until it has settled down and put it on late in the day or overnight. The witchhazel I don't use much as I believe it's better for Haemorroids and do not use the antiseptic/antibiotic creams any more because I think they are only useful if you have an infection with the fissure. I can't say what has been best as I only had a few weeks to try everything so didn't have time to try a cream for 2 weeks then another etc. I have like a lot of you investigated the topic extensively and I believe as long as you don't have an infection then soft stools and some sort of oil/cream is what works. I haven't tried many sitz baths as I have 2 children so it's hard to find time . The baths also seemed to aggravate if anything,probably because I tried salt and epsom salts but I am now trying them again, no salt, as it's not just for comfort but I believe the warmth promotes healing. I hope all of this provides someone with relief while fighting this problem.

So good to get your list of what has been good for you. I use a Sitz Bath, but steer clear of adding anything to the water. Find it to be very soothing. You seem to have tried a lot of things in a fairly short period of time, but hope that something has worked for you and that your holiday was good!! Do let us know.