Anal fissure (fistula) refers to an inflammatory disease caused by ulceration due to dehiscence of the whole layer of skin at the anal canal. It is believed in Chinese medicine that this disease is mostly caused by insufficiency of body fluid due to yin deficiency, or thick and hard stool by dryness in the intestines due to accumulation of heat in Zang-fu organs, and infection of pathogenic toxins after laceration of the anal skin due to forced defecation, clinically manifested by periodical pain and hemorrhage in the anus, and constipation. The term of this disease is same in both Chinese medicine and Western medicine.

Our TCM clinical practice has showed that integration of Chinese medicine and western medicine is a very good choice for this disease. When treating anal fissure, Chinese doctors will take everything into consideration. According to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, there are some patterns of syndrome that lead to anal fissure.
1. Syndrome of Blood Heat and Intestinal Dryness
2. Syndrome of Yin Deficiency and Fluid Loss
3. Syndrome of Qi Stagnation and Blood Stasis