So you have an anal fissure. You have opened up the lining of the anal canal called the mucosa. You likely strained while having a large or heavy stool or maybe you had a bout of constipation. No matter the cause, you now find yourself in a lot of pain because of it, not to mention the feeling of dread that will wash over you when you need to go back to the bathroom. Never fear, although there will be bleeding and the aforementioned pain, anal fissures aren’t medically a big deal. Most slight tears in the mucosa of the anal canal and around the anus itself will self heal in a few weeks. The best advice is to keep the area as dry as possible and apply a product like petroleum jelly to keep the area lubricated and to keep unwanted moisture at bay. Further straining should also be avoided, so up the fibre in your diet to keep subsequent stools soft and more easily passed.