Is it a Hemorrhoid or Something Else

If your primary symptom is a sharp, cutting pain during a bowel movement that feels like you’re passing shards of glass, you likely have an anal fissure.

• What it is: A small tear in the lining of the anal canal.
• The key difference: Hemorrhoids are swollen veins that usually cause a dull ache or itching. Fissures cause intense, localized pain that often lingers for minutes or hours after you leave the bathroom.
• The “tag” connection: Chronic fissures can cause a “sentinel tag” to form at the edge of the tear. This skin growth is often mistaken for a hemorrhoid, but it’s actually your body’s way of trying to protect the injury.

An abscess is a collection of pus caused by an infection in a small gland inside the anus. Unlike hemorrhoids, an abscess is an active infection that needs immediate attention.

• The symptoms: Constant, throbbing pain that doesn’t care if you’re sitting, standing, or using the bathroom. May come with redness, warmth in the area, or even a fever.
• The feel: An abscess usually feels like a firm, very tender lump. A thrombosed (clotted) hemorrhoid can also be firm and painful, but it won’t typically cause flu-like symptoms or the “heat” that an infection does.

Skin tags are simply small, floppy flaps of excess skin. They’re extremely common and are often the “souvenirs” left behind after a hemorrhoid or fissure has healed.

• What they feel like: Skin tags are typically painless and the same color as your skin. They don’t bleed on their own and they don’t prolapse from the inside like internal hemorrhoids do.
• The issue: They aren’t dangerous, but they can make hygiene difficult and cause itching because they trap moisture or debris. Many patients want them removed for comfort or cosmetic reasons.

As Dr. Chung always says, you have to know which tool to use to complete the job. If you treat an abscess with sitz baths alone, the infection can spread. If you treat a fissure with hemorrhoid cream, you’re missing the medications needed to relax the muscle and allow the tear to heal.

At Your Friendly Proctologist, our first goal is a correct diagnosis. Whether it’s a quick office procedure for a skin tag or a specific protocol for a fissure, getting the “what” right is the only way to get to the “relief” part.

In a large hospital system, you might wait weeks just to get an initial look at a “bump.” We prioritize accessibility because we know that when you’re in pain, every day counts. Eleven years of experience has shown that a quick, accurate diagnosis followed by direct access to your surgeon is the best way to manage these sensitive issues.

When you work with us, you get a direct line to Dr. Chung’s cell phone and a follow-up within one week of any procedure. You shouldn’t have to guess what’s happening with your own body.