Hello - I'm new here! I've been finding some solace in this forum! I've been pretty much home-bound and in bed last 6 days due to an AF :-( I've had one once before about 5 years which was largely internal as far as I can remember. I went to see the doc immediately last week and she gave me lidocaine, but the AF got worse over the next day and after 40 hours of non stop excruciating pain I rang a "night doctor" service and got nitroglycerine. Now this has helped somewhat but I've still been unable to lead a normal life or go to work. What I'm really puzzled about this time is that the AF seems to be worse on the "outside", where I feel most of the pain. I have also developed a hard ridge of tissue next to my anus, which is tender to the touch. I also have an ache in my coccyx area. Gross I know, but was wondering if anyone else had experienced this hardened tissue??
Feedback gratefully received

Usually, IF there is a fissure and it's chronic, there is the so-called skin-tag which is hardened. But since you say you only had it for 6 days I doubt this is the case. Maybe you have a thrombosed hemorrhoid instead? How does the tissue look? Normal color or red/bluish?

Thanks for your prompt reply. It's pink so maybe it is a skin tag....do these disappear or get smaller in time?

Hey there,
If your old fissure has re-torn then you could possibly have scar tissue and or a skin tag. Skin tags will swell and kind of resemble hemmies in my opinion.
They can get smaller but never disappear to my knowledge.
I had mine removed with my LIS.

Thanks Dawn! This sounds like a very plausible explanation...I'll have to get over the embarassment and see my doctor again this week to get confirmation :D

One thing you might want to look out for is a fistula - that can feel like a ridge - rather like a thin piece of hardened thread under the skin.
If you have any drainage of pus or blood especially if there is blood not associated with a BM, or if you have a fever, then get it checked out ASAP.

No embarassment in seeing your doctor, they see this A LOT trust me. I asked my family doctor, the gastro and the crs and all of them told me "we see this a lot" :)

So...here's my update....good news is that my fissure is behaving, however the swelling / hard tissue was due to an abscess which would explain why I went to hell and back pain-wise. The infection is clearing up after which I will have to go to a specialist to check for a fistula.....is there no end to my butt problems???

Aww sorry you had an abcess - they are horrible. Yes, watch out for a fistula now, they say they happen after about 50% of abcesses. My honest opinion though is that the number that progress to a fistula is much higher.

Sorry to hear you have an infection! That seems to be happening a lot in here lately. I'm sure that explains your pain.
Finn, I'm not sure how you feel about LIS but I would ask to get this all taken care of at the same time. That will be the best shot of putting an end to all the butt problems in my opinion. :)