Hi everyone! I'm new to posting here. I'm a 23 year old law student and I got off some medication back in October and was graced with what I thought as a fissure. My doctor didn't seen one nor did my pelvic floor PT. I bled a few times but the pain went away after a few days. I bled again twice in November, none until January and on e in February. I started to think it was a fissure come January but again my pelvic PT looked and didn't think it was a fissure but I treated it like it was. The pain weent away after a week. I've been super careful, but I think I had too much fiber which constipated me a bit. I had a hard stool yestersay and since then it's hurt to go. I haven't bled though. I'm so discouraged. Does this mean I retore?? I usuall always bled if there was a tear. Could this just be a small irritation? When do these become chronic? Thank you sveryone

Hi Kswim,
It's difficult to say whether this is a fissure. If two health care providers both say they don't see a fissure, maybe it isn't one? Did they mention hemorrhoids? Hemmies can bleed. External hemmies can be quite painful.

Tell us more about the pain. Does it feel like broken glass in your rectum? Do you get hours of pain after a BM (sometimes with an hour of no pain before the spasms begin)? If this doesn't sound like you, maybe you have not got a fissure.

Obviously something is wrong down there, so maybe ask your pelvic floor therapist again. There are other things it could be. If the PT doesn't know, see a colorectal surgeon.

Too much fibre can make bulky painful stools, and you do need to stay hydrated, so drink lots of water.
I don't know how long it takes a fissure to become chronic. It's probably a gradual process that varies from person to person. Keep your stools soft, drink lots, use gentle heat to soothe the area.

Good luck!

Hi Scientist! Thank you so much for your response!

I'm embarrassed to say...I even had my mom look and she's a nurse and didn't see anything. I just thought for sure if it hurt to go--then it would be a fissure. I went to my doctor twice for it because it freaked me out and she checked both times and didn't see anything. She mentioned that she didn't think it was hemorrhoids when she did the digital rectal exam (but also admitted it may be stage 1 and you can't feel those on an exam).

The pain feels almost like a scratch. It didn't hurt to go today, just the skin is so irritated all around my anus, like red and just dry. I've been getting a ton of skin irritation down there over the past few months so maybe its that thats hurting? I'm not sure. I'm not even sure if the pain is coming from the rectum. The pain feels like its a scratch as the feces starts to come out. I have never had a spasm afterwards either. Does a spasm feel like the muscles are really upset and tight and gut renting? I'm starting to think I'm a hypochondriac and I may not actually have a fissure and maybe it is a hemorrhoid.

Thank you so much by the way!

To me the spasms felt like intense pain all up through the anus. Sometimes it felt like burning or like a lit sparkler up there (sorry for that image). Sometimes just like a stick up my butt.

From what you say, maybe you should see a dermatologist. There've been a few posts lately about thrush (candida yeast) and allergies causing intense burning pain, irritation, dryness, redness etc. Yours doesn't sound much like a fissure, and if it's a skin problem, a dermatologist is your best bet.

I hope you can find out what it is soon!