So I'm kinda confused about what makes a fissure chronic. I don't know if mine is considered chronic. It does come back every so often (like every 3-5 months) but heals within a few days. Every time it comes back, it is 100% my fault, it's due to not drinking enough water of keeping up with my fiber. I always thought fissures were only considered chronic if they didn't heal themselves even when the person was doing everything properly diet-wise. I guess I'm just really scared of the word chronic. As it stands right now, my BMs have been completely pain free the past 4 months. I have a skin tag but it never hurts or itches or anything. I know the skin there stays fragile for about a year so my goal is to be "good" with my water and fiber for 12 months. But I guess I just want some reassurance that I won't need surgery, haha. It seems like everyone who has a "chronic" fissure gets surgery!

Hi Mae,

My interpretation of a chronic fissue, is the fact it doesn't heal. I'm no expert, but as I understand it there are four stages to wound healing. Blood clotting, Inflammation, Proliferation, and Remodelling. A chronic condition typically gets stuck on one of these phases. A chronic fissure is often typified with inflammation and general pain, this is because the healing process can't get past this stage for some reason (e.g. lack of blood flow). The final stage (remodelling) can take as long as two years to strengthen the wound back to its normal tensile strength. If you you are healing then it sounds like you are causing minor trauma to the original fissure whilst it's in the last phase. I'd say that the answer to this is to keep your stools as soft as possible for the next couple of years (which sounds like you are doing anyway).

Anyhow it's only my interpretation - and I've been wrong before :-)

Here is an interesting article that may help: http://www.wrha.mb.ca/professionals/wou ... ng2011.pdf

Good Luck, LemonMan

Thank you. Yes I believe I have been fortunate because it always heals on its own, no ointments or surgery needed. I just keep it very clean & dry and practice deep breathing and relaxation of my muscles throughout the day because when I'm not having anxiety attacks it heals SO MUCH faster than when I am (the first few times it tore, way back in 2014, I was a depressed mess and that was why I had spasms. No spasms in years now, thanks to managing my anxiety.) This forum is honestly the best thing that's happened to me as far as managing my fissure anxiety cuz nobody else quite understands the struggle and even my husband doesn't 100% get it, because how could he. Only we AF sufferers know what it'says like to have fear and anxiety from the simplest of body functions. It can be so isolating at times so I'm so glad I have this forum.

I just wish I could go a whole year without retearing. When I get stressed I forget to drink enough water. I've found I need 80 oz a day to keep my stools soft.. and it needs to be drank in little bits throughout the day, like I can't go 5 hours without drinking and "make up for it" later because a period of 5 hours without hydrating is enough to make the next day's stool hard.