Surgery is the best and safest treatment option to treat and cure anal fissure. If you are suffering from anal fissure and the crack or tear is not healing or responding to medications and dietary changes, your doctor may recommend undergoing anal fissure surgery.
Different types of anal fissure surgeries are available, and the most commonly recommended surgeries are fissurectomy [removal of the fissure] or excision of anal fissures and sphincterotomy. After evaluating and diagnosing the severity of the anal fissure, your doctor may suggest the best suitable anal fissure surgery.
Types of anal fissures
Two types of anal fissures can be noticed, and they are acute anal fissure and chronic anal fissure. An acute anal fissure can be treated within a few days or weeks through medications and lifestyle modifications. Chronic anal fissures are the one which doesn’t respond to medication therapy and can only be treated with surgery.
Recovery time from Anal Fissure Surgery
The main aim of anal fissure surgery is to promote healing of the tear or crack by releasing the high pressure from the fissure and the crack or tear in the anal region. Anal fissure surgery also helps in removing the cracks without affecting the sphincter muscles that control the bowel movements. This surgery also reduces the symptoms like severe pain in the anus before and after defecation, burning and itching sensation in and around the anus, and bleeding from the anus.
After completion of the surgery, all your vital signs like heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen levels, and pulse rate will be evaluated by the medical staff. Depending on your health condition, you may be discharged from the hospital either on the same day of the surgery or after 2-3 days of the surgery.
You may take a week or two after the surgery to get back to your daily activities. However, you may require six [6] to ten [10] weeks to completely heal your anus without any problems. The recovery time from anal fissure surgery depends on factors like;
- Experience of the surgeon in performing anal fissure surgery
- Type of anal fissure surgery performed
- Overall health condition of the patient
- Presence of any underlying disease
- Severity and complexity of anal fissure
- Post-operative lifestyle of the patient
During the first few days after the surgery, you can suffer from pain and discomfort in the anal region during bowel movements and while sitting. To reduce the complications and to promote faster recovery, your doctor may suggest few lifestyle modifications along with dietary changes and they are:
- You should take adequate rest after the surgery as it can help in boosting your healing process.
- Eat food items that are rich in high-fiber like bananas, watermelons, cauliflower, brown rice, almonds, carrots, and strawberries, etc. These foods can help in softening the stools and decrease constipation. They also help in reducing the pain during and after bowel movements.
- You must drink at least two to three liters of water daily to keep the stools soft. By doing so, you can avoid constipation and strain during bowel movements.
- You should avoid eating hot and spicy food items as they can aggravate the symptoms of anal fissure and can cause acid reflux and discomfort.
- Avoid drinking alcohol and caffeinated beverages as they can harden your stools and can cause constipation.
- You should perform simple and easy exercises daily for about twenty [20] to thirty [30] minutes. Performing daily exercises can prevent straining during bowel movements and also reduces the occurrence of anal fissure complications.
- Avoid sitting for long periods as it can increase the pressure in the anal region and can cause constipation.
- If you suffer from pain in and around the anal region, have a sitz bath two [2] to three [3] times a day.
- To avoid anal infection after the surgery, complete the full course of medications as directed by your doctor and also keep the anal area clean all the time.
Conclusion
Recovery time from anal fissure surgery varies from one patient to another due to factors like the type of anal fissure surgery performed and the overall health condition of the patient. However, if you follow all the instructions as directed by your doctor, you can promote the healing process and can recover quickly. Plan the follow-up sessions with your doctor as they can help your doctor to know how effective the surgery is. If you notice any anal fissure symptoms after four [4] to eight [8] weeks of the surgery, contact your doctor and seek medical attention.
