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How Can A Bright Red Sore At The Anal Opening Be Treated?
Question: Hello,
I have an anal sore on the opening of my anus. Its bright red like broken skin and painful to touch and a little swollen. I noticed some moisture in the area so I wiped it and there was very little clear spots on the toilet paper with a fishy smell. I think this stuff dries up over time and has caused small itchy bumps around my anus. Can this be external hemorrhoids? So far this has lasted a little over a week.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr Chandrakant,
Thank you for your fast reply.
I think I can rule out diabetes because I don't have any other symptoms.
If I do have an anal fissure, can spreading my cheeks too wide when I sit for bowel movements cause this? I had a habit of doing this and it caused pain sometimes but it always went away before.
Also what can cause infection of the fissure? The day I started having pain, I had a soccer game so I was wearing tight compression shorts and sweating a lot. Could this have caused the infection?
Thanks,
XXXX
I have an anal sore on the opening of my anus. Its bright red like broken skin and painful to touch and a little swollen. I noticed some moisture in the area so I wiped it and there was very little clear spots on the toilet paper with a fishy smell. I think this stuff dries up over time and has caused small itchy bumps around my anus. Can this be external hemorrhoids? So far this has lasted a little over a week.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr Chandrakant,
Thank you for your fast reply.
I think I can rule out diabetes because I don't have any other symptoms.
If I do have an anal fissure, can spreading my cheeks too wide when I sit for bowel movements cause this? I had a habit of doing this and it caused pain sometimes but it always went away before.
Also what can cause infection of the fissure? The day I started having pain, I had a soccer game so I was wearing tight compression shorts and sweating a lot. Could this have caused the infection?
Thanks,
XXXX
Brief Answer:
Most probably anal fissure/fissure-in-ano.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Your history is suggestive of a condition called fissure-in-ano.
The secondary infection causes the fishy smell and spread to the surrounding area causes skin infection with small itchy bumps.
I would advise you the following:
Send the sample of stool for a lab test.
Rule out diabetes by blood tests.
Sitz bath in a tub with warm water before and after passing stool and in the evening; clean with wet cotton.
Make the area dry with a cotton cloth or hair dryer.
Apply liquid Povidone iodine locally to ward off infection.
Laxative if there are hard stool/ to keep the stools soft.
Painkiller like Ibuprofen if it suits you.
A course of an antibiotic active against intestinal infection, metronidazole and probiotics help further; needs a valid prescription.
If this has happened for the first time, take care to get a cure now and avoid recurrences by keeping the stools soft and avoid intestinal infections.
Once the pain has gone and fissure has healed then an ano-proctoscopy will help to rule out any hemorrhoids if present.
I hope this answers your query and helps you to get a cure.
Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. T Chandrakant, General Surgeon
.....................................................
Brief Answer:
As detailed below.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Diabetes should be ruled out by blood tests.
Spreading cheeks to wide can cause mild fissure but it is the hard stools and/or intestinal infection that usually cause fissures. Added causes are too much straining and so on.
Infection of fissure occurs easily as the stool is loaded with bacteria which affect the fissure directly.
Yes, tight underwear causes the sweating which in turn aided the infection.
I hope this answer helps you further.
Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. T Chandrakant, General Surgeon
Most probably anal fissure/fissure-in-ano.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Your history is suggestive of a condition called fissure-in-ano.
The secondary infection causes the fishy smell and spread to the surrounding area causes skin infection with small itchy bumps.
I would advise you the following:
Send the sample of stool for a lab test.
Rule out diabetes by blood tests.
Sitz bath in a tub with warm water before and after passing stool and in the evening; clean with wet cotton.
Make the area dry with a cotton cloth or hair dryer.
Apply liquid Povidone iodine locally to ward off infection.
Laxative if there are hard stool/ to keep the stools soft.
Painkiller like Ibuprofen if it suits you.
A course of an antibiotic active against intestinal infection, metronidazole and probiotics help further; needs a valid prescription.
If this has happened for the first time, take care to get a cure now and avoid recurrences by keeping the stools soft and avoid intestinal infections.
Once the pain has gone and fissure has healed then an ano-proctoscopy will help to rule out any hemorrhoids if present.
I hope this answers your query and helps you to get a cure.
Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. T Chandrakant, General Surgeon
.....................................................
Brief Answer:
As detailed below.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Diabetes should be ruled out by blood tests.
Spreading cheeks to wide can cause mild fissure but it is the hard stools and/or intestinal infection that usually cause fissures. Added causes are too much straining and so on.
Infection of fissure occurs easily as the stool is loaded with bacteria which affect the fissure directly.
Yes, tight underwear causes the sweating which in turn aided the infection.
I hope this answer helps you further.
Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. T Chandrakant, General Surgeon
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
My last follow up question is can this heal on its own with over the counter treatments? I don't want to go to the doctor to get antibiotics yet and rather treat it myself for a few weeks if this can heal it.
Thanks,
XXXX
Thanks,
XXXX
Brief Answer:
Better to get a proper management.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
This may heal on its own by body's immune system or may need an assistance of the management as mentioned above in details.
Since it is present over a week, it is better to follow the above things to get a cure.
Hope I have answered your query.
Regards,
Dr. T Chandrakant, General Surgeon
Better to get a proper management.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
This may heal on its own by body's immune system or may need an assistance of the management as mentioned above in details.
Since it is present over a week, it is better to follow the above things to get a cure.
Hope I have answered your query.
Regards,
Dr. T Chandrakant, General Surgeon
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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