An anal fissure is a relatively small tear in the lining of the anus. Several factors can lead to the formation of these tears. Some of the most common causes are straining during defacation, childbirth (women), lack of fiber in the diet, constipation and/ or diarrhea. In most cases, these conditions are self-limiting and will go away on their own without any form of medical intervention. However, there are a few cases that require surgical intervention.
To understand anal fissures more clearly and answer the big question, can anal fissures cause blood clot or blood loss, let us take a closer look at how this condition forms and what symptoms should we expect.
The end region of our colon, known as the anus, is surrounded by skin. Unlike the skin found on the external portion of our body, the ones found within the anal region are thinner and more pliable. This is what makes it more prone to tearing and trauma. We have mentioned some of the common causes of this condition but other conditions can also lead to the formation of anal fissures. Some of these are:
- •Irritable bowel disease (Crohn’s disease)
- •Old age
- •Decreased or poor blood flow in vessels in the anal regions
- •Overly tight anal sphincter muscles
- •Spastic sphincter muscles
Anal fissures form from these conditions when there is too much trauma to the tissue (skin) surrounding the anal region. When too much pressure is applied on the area such as in straining when defacating, the skin is stretched to its limits that tiny cuts or tears form on the tissue. These tears could possibly involve damage to surrounding blood vessels as well. The latter can then lead to the formation of blood clots or even, blood loss.
Normally, in patients with anal fissures, rectal bleeding can be observed. These could vary from streaks in the feces to droplets of blood on the toilet bowl. In some cases, the blood loss can only be observed when a piece of wet wipe or tissue paper is wiped across the anal region.
In most cases, the amount of blood loss is not that much since tears found in anal fissures are superficial and they stop bleeding immediately.
These conditions are almost always self-limiting. Since anal fissures are superficial cuts on the skin, they tend to heal quickly. However, it must be noted that these can happen again and again if the underlying cause is not corrected.
In summary, the question “can anal fissures cause blood clot or blood loss?” can be answered with a simple “yes” but it must be noted that these conditions do not always occur in all cases of anal fissures.
As for blood clots, hemorrhoids are the ones that can lead to clot formation versus anal fissures. The difference between these two is that hemorrhoids are painless and are classified into either internal or external hemorrhoids whereas an anal fissure is any type of trauma that may occur to the anal region and often accompanied by pain.
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