Anal fissures and how pelvic floor therapy can help
For many people, this is not a topic that is being brought up at the dinner table. However, it may be more common than you think, and it can cause bowel movements to be extremely painful, and can contribute to other issues within adjacent structures near the bowels (and yes - you guessed it- the pelvic floor).
What are anal fissures?
Anal fissures are small cuts within the anal canal. They can feel like paper cuts, which as we all know are much more painful than they look. They can start off small, but if left untreated they can worsen and be more challenging to treat and get under control. They can be caused by constipation or chronic diarrhea. It can also be common to develop a fissure following a significantly stressful period in life.
How do you treat a fissure?
Typically, the first step would be to address your stool consistency which includes making sure you are drinking enough water and eating enough fiber. Attempting to pass a firm, hard stool can put more pressure on the fissure, which over time can cause you to brace and tense up your pelvic muscles each time you need to have a bowel movement, creating more tension within the pelvic floor which therefore makes it even harder, and more painful to pass. It can be a vicious cycle if left untreated. If you are unsure what changes you need to make in your diet, consulting with a nutritionist can be a great place to start. Additionally, a pelvic floor physical or occupational therapist can determine where you are holding tension - this can be more than just in the pelvic floor - it can include glute muscles, abdominals and diaphragm, inner thigh muscles, and even your lower back. It is so important to find out WHY the fissure(s) started and treat that cause, in addition to your current symptoms.
Pelvic floor therapy can include a number of treatments including manual therapy to release the tension in the pelvic floor via vaginal or rectal treatment, lots of breathwork to retrain your nervous system’s response to pain, as well as even train how to move your bowels to avoid all the pressure that occurs from straining.
Seeing a pelvic floor physical or occupational therapist can help to identify tension patterns, treat the tension at those pelvic floor muscles, and help you to retrain your body to not only reduce the current pain but to prevent future occurrences of fissures.
If this sounds like something you have been experiencing but have been just waiting for it to heal on its own, please reach out, we can help!
Interested in learning more? Chat with us about your specific needs in a free 30 minute consultation.