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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffFactors that may increase your risk of developing an anal fissure include:
- Infancy. Many infants experience an anal fissure during their first year of life, although experts aren't sure of the reason.
- Aging. Older adults may develop an anal fissure partly because of 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.
References
- Gearhart SL. Diverticular disease and common anorectal disorders. In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2881328. Accessed July 28, 2010.
- Lacy BE, et al. Common anorectal disorders: Diagnosis and treatment. Current Gastroenterology Reports. 2009;11:413.
- Herzig D. Anal fissure. Surgical Clinics of North America. 2010;90:33.
- Greenwald DA. Common disorders of the anus and rectum: Hemorrhoids and fissures. American College of Gastroenterology. http://www.acg.gi.org/patients/gihealth/hemorrhoids.asp. Accessed July 28, 2010.
- Yamada T, et al. Anorectal diseases. In: Yamada T, et al. Textbook of Gastroenterology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2003. http://ovidsp.tx.ovid.com/sp-2.3.1b/ovidweb.cgi. Accessed July 28, 2010.
- Breen E, et al. Anal fissures. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 28, 2010.
- Anal fissure. American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons. http://www.fascrs.org/patients/conditions/anal_fissure. Accessed July 28, 2010.
- Anal fissure. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec02/ch020/ch020.html. Accessed July 28, 2010.
- Gil J, et al. Screening for the effectiveness of conservative treatment in chronic anal fissure patients using anorectal manometry. International Journal of Colorectal Disease. 2010;25:649.
- Klein MD, et al. Surgical conditions of the anus, rectum, and colon. In: Kliegman RM, et al. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/212152969-3/1032016749/1608/827.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2450-7..50343-1--cesec13_6840. Accessed July 28, 2010.
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