Hi, I just joined the forum. I am 25 and I have been dealing with anal fissures for almost 4 years now. The first one I had was terrible and I was in unbearable pain for hour after bowel movements. I got referred to a CRS but by the time I actually got an appointment 8 months later I had learned to heal myself with diet, sitz baths, and stool softeners. I was good for about 6 months but then they started happening again and again. About 6 months ago it got to the point where I was tearing every week and then healing 2-3 days later. Then I'd be ok for a few days and then I'd tear again. I was in a smaller town over the summer so the doctor I saw there referred me to a general surgeon. When I saw him, of course I didn't have an active fissure so he said he couldn't do anything for me. I talked him into at least doing a colonoscopy but he didn't find anything wrong with me.
So basically I don't know what to do now. I've been seeing a dietitian and she has been very helpful. I almost always have soft bowel movements now. But even soft movements seem to cause tearing these days. Should I get a referral and wait another 8 months to see the CRS again? Will they even do anything this time?
What I really want to know is what defines a chronic fissure. Does it have to be one that never ever heals and causing pain every time you go. Or does what I have also count as a chronic anal fissure; Where I seem to tear and heal and re-tear on a weekly basis. Cause if so, I probably want to look into surgery right?