The Painful Anal Fissure. Diltiazim® Can Help Block The Pain.
At Los Angeles Colon and Rectal Surgical Associates in Beverly Hills, California, one of the most commonly seen and treated painful maladies of the anal area is the anal fissure. A fissure is similar to a paper cut you might receive on your hand or finger, except that the anal fissure is located on a very sensitive part of the body…the anus. It is the intense pain that usually brings patients to see the proctologist, also known as a colon and rectal surgeon.
What Is A Fissure?
A fissure is a cut. Unfortunately, the fissure is a cut in an extremely well innervated part of the body. What does “innervated” mean? It means that many many nerve endings are located in the anal area. These nerve endings are responsible for opening or closing the anal area, for differentiating between gas, liquid and solid stool, and for sensation. When, after a hard bowel movement, diarrhea, a sudden stretching of the anus, or, sometimes, for unknown reasons, the anus opens, a cut can occur. Cuts are normal. The area of the anus is normally stretching or closing and cuts naturally happen. They usually heal. But, sometimes, they do not heal.
Why Don’t Fissures Heal?
For reasons related to possible local infection, to physical forces or, for unknown reasons, the cuts remain unhealed for longer than normal. The underlying sphincter muscle can then become irritated and the cut becomes chronic. It remains open and it hurts. The muscle spasms. When this happens, blood vessels are constricted and are unable to deliver blood and oxygen to the tissues. The fissure is unable to heal without oxygen.
What To Do about the Fissure?
After all of the local measures have failed, your surgeon may prescribe Diltiazim®. Diltiazim® is an ointment that is placed on the anal are two or three times per day. Diltiazim® is a calcium channel blocker. Normally, in the fluids surrounding cells, the concentration of calcium is very high compared with that of the inside part of the cell. In the cell wall, there are calcium channels. When calcium, flows through the channel, muscle can contract. When the channel is blocked, the muscle cannot contract. Hence, Diltiazim® is a calcium channel blocker. As the anal sphincter muscle relaxes, more oxygen can flow into the area through blood vessels, and the fissure can heal. This is why Diltiazim® is a member of the family of drugs known as calcium channel blockers.
Los Angeles Colon and Rectal Surgical Associates.
The surgeons of Los Angeles Colon and Rectal Surgical Associates are well studied in the treatment of anal fissure, in the drugs that can heal anal fissures, and in all diseases of the colon, rectum and anus.
By calling (310)273-2310, you can schedule an appointment to see one of our physicians and start down the path of healing your painful anal fissure.
