Different treatments take different time-lapses for their recovery. It may take a long time for a person to recover from a disease, depending on its severity, its location, and its method of treatment.
Injections of Botox are widely used nowadays to treat anal fissures. Our main concern is about, what is the Botox fissure recovery time?
Depending on the severity and depth of the cuts and tears in the lining of the anus, the anal fissures can recover differently after Botox. In the case of acute anal fissures, Botox starts to work within a week. Chronic anal fissures can take up to four weeks to heal with Botox.
Keep reading to know about Botox recovery in detail.
Table of Content
What Do You Mean By Botox?
Botox injections relieve the pain associated with muscle spasms in a variety of parts of the body. The injections are most commonly known for reducing wrinkles on the face. In recent years, it has been widely used to treat acute and chronic anal fissures.
Botox injections are also used to treat many other disorders including:
- Neck spasms or Cervical dystonia
- Chronic migraines
- Hyperhidrosis or Excessive sweating
- Urinary incontinence or Overactive bladder
- Amblyopia or Lazy eye
How Does Botox Help With Anal Fissures?
Anal fissures are minor cuts in the lining of the anus. These fissures can be effectively treated with Botox when applied regularly. The use of Botox has been proven highly efficient in the treatment of chronic, phantom, and acute anal fissures.
Acute Anal Fissure
If used at the very beginning when tears or cuts appear in the anus, Botox injections can completely heal the fissure. If other creams and suppositories are used, complete recovery will be achieved, and chronic fissures will be prevented from developing.
Chronic Anal Fissure
Usually, patients discover that they have an anal fissure after it has developed into a chronic one. The anus lining becomes more vulnerable to cuts or tears when it is defecated on. The act of defecating can cause severe pain and even bleeding. It can sometimes be difficult to fully heal chronic anal fissures.
There is often a recurrence of bleeding and pain. For proper recovery, tissues with cuts are removed from the anus through surgery (fissurectomy) along with Botox injections.
Phantom Fissures
In many cases, fissures do not exist at the time of an initial examination but develop after intercourse. The condition is called “phantom fissures” and is often treated with creams and suppositories. However, these cannot completely cure it, and Botox injections are required.
What Is the Dosage of Botox Used to Treat Anal Fissures?
Acute to chronic anal fissures are treated with 4–5 Botox injections. 100 units is typically a suitable Botox dosage. In most cases, 80 units are administered by injecting 20 units into each quadrant of the internal sphincter, with the rest of the 20 units injected straight into the fissure lines.
Approximately 30 minutes are needed to complete the entire procedure. Injecting usually takes five minutes, and rest time is required for changing needles, adjusting the dosage, and so on.
Anal Fissure Recovery Time: How Long Does It Take?
The Botox healing time of an anal fissure after the use of Botox depends on the severity of the anal fissure. An acute anal fissure usually takes less time. On the other hand, chronic anal fissures take longer to heal, mainly because of how much scar tissue is present and how intense it is. It also depends on whether there is a need for surgical removal of tissues (fissurectomy) or not.
In the case of acute anal fissures, recovery is usually achieved within a few weeks. The first week, more precisely the first 3 to 5 days after Botox treatment, is the most painful. These days, Botox aids healing by reducing pressure in the anal region. The patient feels discomfort during defecation for about a week to two weeks. Afterward, tissues start healing, and healthy tissues replace the torn ones. As the tissues become stronger, they can carry the pressure from defecation.
Chronic anal fissures can take about four weeks to heal. The effect can last for about 3 months, which is sufficient time for the chronic anal fissure to heal completely.
How to Improve Botox Recovery?
By adopting some precautionary measurements, we can recover from any disorder in a shorter time. Similarly, for a fast Botox fissure recovery time process, you should keep the following measurements in mind while dealing with anal fissures.
- Maintain a soft bowel movement. You should always consume fiber-rich, easily digestible foods that can be excreted easily. As a result, the anus will be relieved of pressure and healing will be accelerated.
- Be sure to drink a lot of water. Juices and foods with high water content are appreciated. It will help keep the body hydrated. Constipation, on the other hand, can be caused by dehydration. This will result in hard stools and exert pressure on the anus.
- Sit on warm water (sitz bath) after the bowel movement. Anal fissures can be healed the quickest by soaking the anus in warm water about 6 to 8 times a day.
- Take medication if you experience pain or inflammation in the area surrounding the anus. Treating inflammation and pain with ibuprofen, Advil, Naprosyn, or Aleve can be very helpful.
- Avoid painkillers that contain narcotics because they can cause constipation. Increase your fiber intake if these medications are necessary. Constipation can also be avoided by taking laxatives such as milk of magnesia.
- After Botox surgery, it is normal to experience bleeding during defecation. In any case, contact your doctor as soon as you begin to notice continuous blood flow in your stools.
- It is never a good idea to exert pressure while defecating. Putting strain on the anus will worsen the cuts and cause bleeding to exceed normal levels.
Side Effects of Botox Treatment
There are substantial chances of side effects occurring with an external source being used to treat internal disorders. Botox treatment can also result in several complications afterward. Some of the common side effects of Botox injection involve:
- Anal bleeding may occur for up to one day.
- Mild flue, headache, backache, and pain in other parts of the body.
- Bloating or flatulence.
- Swelling or redness at the injection site.
There is no need to worry about these Botox side effects since they usually go away within a day or two. There are a few serious, and less common, side effects of Botox. They include:
- Anaphylactic allergic reaction
- Muscle paralysis
- Difficulty breathing
These side effects need immediate medical attention. Call your doctor immediately, if you are facing any one of these complications.
FAQs
Let’s check out some of the frequently asked questions.
Is Walking Good for Fissures?
Answer: When you exercise regularly, you increase the flow of blood to the damaged area of your body. As a result, walking can enhance the healing process of fissures in the anus. Furthermore, walking will also promote regular and soft bowel movements. This prevents constipation and thus pressure on the anus.
Is There a Quick Way to Recover From an Anal Fissure?
Answer: Taking a warm bath after each bowel movement promotes quick healing of anal fissures. It is recommended that the anus should be soaked in warm water about six to seven times a day. Fissures are rapidly healed using this method, even within a few weeks after the patient begins using it.
Is It Possible to Permanently Cure Fissures?
Answer: Studies have shown that about 98% of patients suffering from chronic anal fissures have healed completely. While there was a need for sphincterotomy in some patients. Fissures can recur even after a patient has recovered completely from them. It is therefore important to take precautionary measures like preventing constipation.
Is Fissure Surgery Painful?
Answer: Fissure surgery can sometimes cause severe pain or burning or tearing sensation in the first few days during defecation. But this pain heals over time. For anal fissures, it is best to perform a lateral internal sphincterotomy so that painful spasms can be relieved and healing can begin.
Conclusion
The use of Botox injections in the treatment of acute and chronic anal fissures has been widespread for many years. But, what is the botox fissure recovery time after injections? Depending on the severity of the condition, it can take about two to three weeks for proper recovery.
Since fissures can recur, the effects of Botox injection last about three months. This gives enough time to prevent the reoccurrence of the anal fissures.
