How to Find Ointments for Comforting Fissures

Anal fissures are tears in the rectal area. They make the elimination of waste difficult, they hurt and are embarrassing to discuss, but ignoring them won't make them go away. You need immediate relief, followed by long-term healing and you'll want to prevent recurrence. Start with some simple ointments to ease the discomfort and keep the problem from worsening while you begin to make diet and lifestyle changes.

Things You'll Need

• Facial tissues with aloe
• A&D ointment
• Nitroglycerine ointment (by prescription)
• Calcium channel blocking ointment (by prescription)
• Topical anesthetics or corticostreroids (by prescription)

Instructions

1. Comfort yourself with vitamins A&D ointment, which can be found over the counter in any drug store, often in the baby care section. This ointment, aside from soothing and lubricating the area, also promotes healing and keeps skin healthy. Instead of toilet paper, try wiping with facial tissue that contains aloe; it's softer on your sore spots.

2. See your doctor, who may initially prescribe topical anesthetic sprays to relax the skin and allow you to eliminate more comfortably.

3. Get your prescriptions filled. Your doctor may order an ointment containing a small dose of nitroglycerine, which increases blood flow and relaxes muscles in the anal area, easing your pain and promoting healing. Otherwise, your doctor may prescribe calcium channel blocking ointment, which contains drugs that work similarly to the nitroglycerin, but may produce fewer and less severe side effects.

4. Change your diet. Increase fiber with foods such as oatmeal, fruits and vegetables, and drink at least 48 ounces of water or clear fluids daily.

References

• The Doctors' Book of Home Remedies II Anal Fissures
• MedicineNet: Anal Fissure
• Mayo Clinic: Anal Fissure