The anus is the opening at the end of your anal canal. The rectum sits between your colon and anus and acts as a holding chamber for stool. When pressure in your rectum becomes too great, the internal ring of muscle called the anal sphincter relaxes to allow stool to pass through your anal canal, the anus, and out of your body. The anus consists of glands, ducts, blood vessels, mucus, tissues, and nerve endings that can be highly sensitive to pain, irritation, and other sensations.
An anal fissure fissure-in-ano is a small, oval shaped tear in skin that lines the opening of the anus. Fissures typically cause severe pain and bleeding with bowel movements. Fissures are quite common in the general population, but are often confused with other causes of pain and bleeding, such as hemorrhoids. Anal fissures can occur at any age and have equal gender distribution. A small number of patients may actually have fissures in both the front and the back locations. Fissures located elsewhere off to the side should raise suspicion for other diseases see below and will need to be examined further.
A patient presents with severe anal pain, lasting hours after each bowel movement. She notices some intermittent bleeding with defecation. She comes to the office with the presumed diagnosis of hemorrhoids. Are her symptoms consistent with hemorrhoidal disease, or does she have another disorder? Benign anorectal disorders are common and increasing in incidence.
Haemorrhoids piles , anal tears and anal fissures can all result in bleeding from the anus, which can be quite alarming. Most of the time you are not aware of having haemorrhoids but in most cases you will feel a small lump which is just inside or outside the anus. Bleeding from a pile can be quite scary when first discovered but it is not serious. If there is an irritation or an itch associated with piles, ask your pharmacist for advice.