Foods to Avoid if You Have an Anal Fissure
Updated on July 31, 2025
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Anal fissures can be unpleasant; there's really no other way to put it. They can cause burning, stinging, bleeding, and itching that can decrease your quality of life, at least for a short while. The good news is that, if you have an anal fissure, diet changes can help bring you some relief.
Most anal fissures heal on their own within six weeks and, once they're gone, you can make several dietary and lifestyle changes for anal fissure prevention.
What Are Anal Fissures?
An anal fissure is a tear in the lining of the anal canal. Although they don't lead to more complicated issues, anal fissures can be uncomfortable. Symptoms include burning, stinging, pain during bowel movements, itching, and bleeding.
Anal fissures are caused by injury to the rectal canal from increased pressure. This commonly happens when you're constipated and struggling to go to the bathroom or when you pass an abnormally large stool. Chronic diarrhea and childbirth can also cause an anal fissure.
Most anal fissures resolve on their own with little-to-no treatment within a few weeks. These types of anal fissures are classified as acute. In some cases, anal fissures can become chronic or recurring, lasting longer than 12 weeks and continually coming back.
Changes in your bowel habits can put stress and pressure on your system and increase your risk of developing an anal fissure. There are some things you can do at home to alleviate or prevent a fissure, including making dietary changes.
Avoid These Foods if You Have an Anal Fissure
You may not be able to completely prevent a fissure with diet alone, but you can do a few things to make yourself more comfortable while your fissure is healing. One of these is to avoid spicy foods, which may cause burning in the cut area when you're passing a stool and make symptoms worse.
It's also a good idea to avoid constipating foods, which can put added pressure on the anal canal and make it harder for the fissure to heal.
Foods that can contribute to constipation include:
- Cheese
- Red meat
- Fast food
- Processed foods
- Frozen or preprepared foods
It addition, it's best to avoid food that can be rough on the digestive tract, including popcorn, nuts, and tortilla chips.
Include These Foods in Your Diet
Although eating certain foods won't directly heal an anal fissure, you can reduce the pressure on your anal sphincter and promote natural healing by eating plenty of fiber, which softens stools and makes them easier to pass. Aim for about 25 to 30 grams of fiber each day.
Examples of high-fiber foods include:
- Bran
- Beans
- Peas
- Lentils
- Berries
- Apples
- Bananas
- Wild rice and brown rice
- Quinoa
- Green leafy vegetables (Swiss chard, spinach, beet greens, turnip greens, kale)
- Flaxseed
- Chia seeds
- Squash
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Sweet potatoes
- Kiwis
It's also helpful to drink a lot of water. Staying hydrated reduces your risk of constipation and helps prevent the straining that can cause anal fissures, so aim for at least eight glasses a day.
Other Ways to Find Relief
In addition to revamping your diet, you can find some at-home relief for anal fissures by taking what's called a sitz bath. A sitz bath involves soaking several times a day in a warm (but not hot) bath that covers only your butt and hips.
The pain that accompanies an anal fissure is generally caused by muscle spasms that occur following a bowel movement. The warm water from a sitz bath helps relax those muscles and can help alleviate symptoms, so you can find some relief while you're waiting for your fissure to heal.
The Takeaway
- If you have an anal fissure, it's best to avoid foods that can irritate the digestive tract like spicy and processed food.
- Incorporating foods in your diet that are high in fiber, such as leafy greens, beans, and fruits such as kiwis, can help soften stools and support the healing of anal fissures.
- If your symptoms persist or worsen, or if you notice rectal bleeding, consult a healthcare professional for further evaluation and appropriate treatment to ensure there are no underlying issues.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
- Anal Fissure. Mayo Clinic. December 31, 2024.
- Anal Fissures. Cleveland Clinic. April 25, 2023.
- How You Can Deal With Anal Fissures. Cleveland Clinic. June 7, 2019.
- Anal Fissures. Johns Hopkins Medicine.
- Anal Fissures. Cedears Sinai.
- Eating, Diet, & Nutrition for Constipation. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
- High-Fiber Foods. MedlinePlus. July 24, 2024.
- Sitz Bath. MedlinePlus. January 1, 2025.
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Yuying Luo, MD
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Lindsay Boyers is a holistic nutritionist with a bachelor of science degree in food and nutrition and a certificate in holistic nutrition consulting. She has a background in functi...