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Risk factors

By Mayo Clinic staff

Factors that may increase your risk of developing an anal fissure include:

  • Infancy. Many infants experience an anal fissure during their first year of life; experts aren't sure why.
  • Aging. Older adults may develop an anal fissure partly due to slowed circulation, resulting in decreased blood flow to the rectal area.
  • Constipation. Straining during bowel movements and passing hard stools increase the risk of tearing.
  • Childbirth. Anal fissures are more common in women after they give birth.
  • Crohn's disease. This inflammatory bowel disease causes chronic inflammation of the intestinal tract, which may make the lining of the anal canal more vulnerable to tearing.
Complications Causes
References
  1. Feldman M, et al. Sleisenger & Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-6189-2..X0001-7--TOP&isbn=978-1-4160-6189-2&about=true&uniqId=229935664-2192. Accessed Oct. 16, 2012.
  2. Goldman L, et al. Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2012. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-1604-7..C2009-0-42832-0--TOP&isbn=978-1-4377-1604-7&uniqId=327451096-2. Accessed Oct. 16, 2012.
  3. Anal fissure. U.S. National Library of Medicine. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002116/. Accessed Oct. 17, 2012.
  4. Anal fissure. American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons. http://www.fascrs.org/patients/conditions/anal_fissure. Accessed Oct. 17, 2010.
  5. Zaghiyan KN, et al. Anal fissure. Clinics in Colon and Rectal Surgery. 2011;24(1):22.
  6. Etzioni DA. Current management of anal fissure. Seminars in Colon & Rectal Surgery. 2011;22:2.
DS00762 Dec. 4, 2012

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