Anal Fissure

Exams and Tests

Your doctor can diagnose an anal fissure from your symptoms and a physical examination. The examination may include:

• Looking at the fissure by gently separating the buttocks.
• Digital rectal exam. The doctor uses a gloved finger to feel structures in the anal canal.
• Anoscopy. This exam involves using a short, lighted scope to look into the anal canal.

A doctor usually will wait until the fissure has begun healing before doing a digital rectal exam or anoscopy. If an exam needs to be done immediately, a topical anesthetic can be used to numb the area.

The location of a fissure is important in the diagnosis. If you have more than one fissure or have a fissure on the side of the anus (rather than at the top or the bottom), you may have another condition that is causing fissures. Possible conditions include inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), anal cancer, syphilis, tuberculosis, a suppressed immune system, or HIV infection.

A doctor may look for a small piece of loose skin (a skin tag) in the anus, often a sign of a long-term (chronic) fissure. Skin tags are often mistakenly identified as hemorrhoids.

Go to previous section	Go to top of page	Go to next section
Author:	Monica Rhodes	Last Updated: May 30, 2008
Medical Review:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine C. Dale Mercer, MD, FRCSC, FACS - General Surgery
© 1995-2009 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.