Anal Fissures Post-Partum – Case study:
42yr old suffering with severe case of anal fissures after birth of 4th child. She wasn’t able to see the GP physically initially due to lockdown restrictions. They had given her a cream to use for piles. This didn’t really help, so she then saw the GP in person. They confirmed that she had several deep anal fissures around the rectum, and not piles. They advised her to take the laxative, and increase her fibre to aid the constipation, which would in turn help ease the pain of the fissures. Another cream was prescribed too.
1st appt: ‘It feels like I’m passing shards of glass every time I pass a stool. I’ve been suffering for 8 months now’. Patient only stooling twice a week.
Pain: 7/10
Pain lasts for 18-20hrs after stool.
I did advise about fibre, fluid and position of stooling. Client was breastfeeding so was drinking plenty of fluid. Laxatives were continued to help soften the stool whilst the remedies were helping with the pain.
2nd appt: Remedies relieved the pain immediately! I was pain free after 20mins. Stooling every other day now.
Pain: 2/10
3rd appt: No longer taking laxative. No longer constipated or straining.
Pain: 0/10
Summary: Female suffering with several deep anal fissures post-partum, with pain levels of 7/10, lasting for 20hrs after the stool.
8 weeks later: Pain-free stooling. Not constipated or straining. Patient extremely pleased to be pain-free and healing well.