Coping with overwhelming fissure pain

Published 13 March 2026 ·Last reviewed 13 March 2026 by the editorial team ·How we create our content

At a glance

If you have reached the point where the pain feels unbearable, you deserve to hear this: what you are going through is real, it is serious, and there are steps forward — even if it does not feel that way right now.

First: if you are in crisis

If you are having thoughts of self-harm or feel that you cannot cope:

  • Samaritans (UK): 116 123 (free, 24 hours)
  • Crisis Text Line (UK): text SHOUT to 85258
  • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US): call or text 988
  • Lifeline (Australia): 13 11 14

You are not overreacting. Chronic pain is a legitimate crisis, and these services are there for exactly this.

What this moment means

Reaching “I cannot take this anymore” is not a failure. It is a signal. It means the current approach is not enough and something needs to change. That change might be:

  • A different treatment
  • A different clinician
  • A different level of care
  • Support for the emotional side

Immediate practical steps

Escalate your medical care

If you have been managing alone or with a GP only:

  • Request a specialist referral — a colorectal surgeon can offer assessment and treatment options your GP cannot
  • If you already have a specialist, contact them about your current level of pain
  • Ask directly about procedural options — botox, fissurectomy, LIS surgery

Ask for better pain management

If your current pain relief is not controlling the pain:

  • Tell your doctor specifically what is not working
  • Ask about timing — pain relief taken an hour before anticipated bowel movements works better than after
  • Ask whether a different type or dose of pain relief is appropriate

Get support for the emotional side

The psychological impact of chronic fissure pain is significant:

  • A therapist or counsellor experienced with chronic pain
  • A trusted person to talk to
  • Acknowledgement that the emotional toll is real and deserves attention

What people describe at this point

People who have been through this moment describe:

  • Exhaustion — physical and emotional
  • A sense of isolation — nobody understands
  • Anger — at their body, at doctors, at the unfairness
  • Desperation — willing to try anything

And then, often:

  • A turning point — the moment of crisis prompted a change
  • A new clinician who took them seriously
  • A procedure that finally worked
  • Support that made the wait bearable

The pain has an end

This is not a platitude. Fissures are treatable. The vast majority heal — with conservative treatment, with botox, with surgery. The path may be longer and harder than anyone expected, but it exists.

The people who felt exactly what you are feeling now — who could not take it anymore, who were at their absolute limit — are the same people who later describe being past it. Being on the other side. Having their life back.

You can get there too. The next step is the one that counts.

Common questions

Is it normal to feel like I cannot take this anymore?

Yes. Living with chronic pain — especially in a location you cannot talk about openly — is exhausting. Many people reach a breaking point. This feeling is a signal that you need additional support, not that you have failed.

What should I do right now?

If you are in physical crisis (severe bleeding, extreme pain), seek emergency medical care. If you are emotionally overwhelmed, please reach out to a crisis service. For the fissure itself, the practical step is escalating your care — ask for a specialist referral, request a second opinion, or discuss procedural options.

Are there treatments I might not have tried?

If you have been managing with conservative measures only, procedural options exist — botox injection, fissurectomy, lateral internal sphincterotomy. These have high success rates. If you have not been referred to a colorectal specialist, that referral is the next step.

When to seek care Heavy bleeding or feeling faint? Get emergency help now. Emergency: 911

Not sure how urgent it is? Get help today.

  1. Emergency

    Heavy bleeding, black tarry stools, feeling faint, severe pain or trouble breathing.

    Call 911 or go to the ER.

  2. Today

    Fever, pain getting worse, a hot swollen lump, or trouble passing urine.

    Call your doctor or go to urgent care.

  3. Soon

    Bleeding or bowel changes nobody has checked, or anything lasting 3 weeks.

    Book a doctor’s appointment.

Feeling overwhelmed? Call or text 988, any time.

See all the signs

For this topic, get medical advice if you notice:

  • Thoughts of self-harm or feeling you cannot cope — please reach out to a crisis helpline
  • Heavy or persistent bleeding that does not settle
  • Severe pain that is getting worse rather than better
  • Fever or signs of infection

Recording how you feel is not the same as being checked. These are the signs that need a doctor’s attention.

Call 911 or go to the emergency room now if you have:

  • bleeding that will not stop, a lot of blood (the toilet water turns red, or you pass large clots), or any bleeding with feeling faint or dizzy
  • fainting, a racing heart or trouble breathing
  • confusion or slurred speech, extreme shivering, no urine in a day, or blotchy skin
  • sudden severe belly pain, or a swollen, hard belly with vomiting or not passing stool or gas
  • you cannot pass urine at all, or your bladder feels full and painful and you can’t empty it
  • redness, swelling or severe pain spreading quickly around your anus, genitals or groin, especially with a fever or feeling very ill
  • a fever with a painful swelling near your anus if you have diabetes or a weakened immune system (for example, from chemotherapy or transplant medicines)
  • black, tarry stools

Call your doctor or go to urgent care today (or the ER if you can’t be seen today) if you have:

  • a temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, chills, vomiting, or feeling generally unwell
  • pain that is getting worse over days, or severe pain that stops you sitting or sleeping
  • a hot, swollen or very tender lump near your anus or at the top of the crease between your buttocks, or foul-smelling discharge
  • trouble urinating
  • bleeding that is getting heavier or more frequent, or blood mixed into your stool
  • feeling much more tired than usual, looking pale, or getting out of breath more easily than you used to
  • not passing stool for several days, or new belly pain

Make an appointment with your doctor if:

  • you have never had these symptoms checked by a doctor or nurse — whatever your age
  • you have had rectal bleeding for more than 3 weeks
  • your bowel movements have been looser, thinner or more frequent than usual for 3 weeks or more, or you have lost weight without trying
  • symptoms have not settled after a week or so, or keep coming back
  • you notice a new lump near your anus, between your buttocks or in your belly, or an itch or discharge that does not clear
  • you have new leakage or trouble controlling your bowels
  • you are 45 or over, or have a family history of bowel cancer or inflammatory bowel disease, and any of these symptoms are new for you

If you are unsure, it is always reasonable to ask. If things feel overwhelming, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or chat at 988lifeline.org, any time. If you don’t feel safe, call 911.

Showing US care routes. Change region at the foot of the page.

Discreet symptom tracking

Symptoms that come and go? Keep track, day by day.

For hemorrhoids, fissures, fistulas and other anal and rectal problems. A short, discreet email asks how things have been, and saves each answer, so you can look back at every flare and every good week in your own words. If you haven’t had your symptoms checked, see your doctor first.

  • About ten seconds a check-in. No app, no password.
  • Nothing in the subject or preview says what it’s about.
  • Each Sunday, a link to your week, ready for your next appointment.
Start tracking →

Your notes

Your check-in

Takes about ten seconds.

20:00
Example. Nothing on the lock screen hints at symptoms or conditions.

Explore more

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Thinking about fissure surgery

A framework for weighing surgical options for a chronic fissure — the questions to ask, the factors to consider.

When healing feels impossible

For people who are exhausted, frustrated, and feel like giving up on fissure treatment — what that moment feels like, and where to go from here.

Related experiences

Fissure anxiety and mental health

How living with an anal fissure affects mental health — the bowel movement dread, fear of eating, pre-surgery terror.

Living with a fissure for years

What it is like to deal with a fissure for months or years — the emotional toll, the treatment fatigue, and how people eventually find a path forward.