Fissures?

I don't mean to sound ignorant but what is a fissure?  The GI has mentioned this twice and that it is common in cd.  I don't understand what this is.  Right now my daughter is on Flagyl for an anal abscess but he also mentioned a fissure?  Are these together or two seperate issues?  I figured I would ask my smart new friends as I seen someone mentioned a fissure in another post.  Thanks!

Hi lil-momma...I had hundreds of anal fissures & several abcesses for over 25yrs. w/ Crohn's. Abcesses are much more serious. Here's something that I learned to do, on my own, to lessen the amount & severity of fissures: In place of toilet paper, which can cause tears (fissures) in the anal area due to the roughness of wiping constantly, I used baby wipes for years...big difference!...just make sure that the wipes don't contain alcohol & that she gently pats the area dry in order to avoid a fungal infection. Also, soaking in a sudsy tub can help ease the pain (I prefer to use liquid baby soap). Both of these treatments also help to relieve external abcesses. Hope this heps!

I agree with fuzzy, the wet wipes are wonderful. I get little packets of either wet toilet paper wipes or they have vagisil wipes that come in little packets that can be carried in a purse. Very convenient when your daughter is at school. Industrial TP is the worst. Its just one of those things that is soooo worth the extra expense.