Hey Lainey,
I wanted to add another comment to this topic. One thing that helped me during my 6-months of C problems (I had the dry masse of hard stools, blood in passing, and anal sphincter spasm also). Anyway, I tend to sit in regular chairs and work at the computer quite a bit--and it seemed that posture was really wrong for my rectum/ anus muscle tone. Not simply contact pain, like you would have from hemorrhoids and such, but a wrong "posture." I set my computer and mouse up on a box and started doing most of my work standing up. I think that's when I started to gradually improve.
Also, because of the spasm, I started warming my "lower region" with a folded washcloth soaked in very warm water, wrung out-- (to relax the anal muscles and increase blood flow to the area). Don't do this if you actually have hemorrhoids, though, it will make them worse. I usually did this after a BM, but sometimes did it when my bum was really uncomfortable.
I make a point of being scupulously clean down there--I use a foam cleanser sold for eyelid hygiene--OcuSoft brand. (not witch hazel--that's too strong). And add a small amount of topical petrolatum to protect tissue.
In the acute phase, I used suppositories at bedtime. I started with prescription cortizone (mild) and then tried several OTC types. They can be irritating, but they seemed to soften the stool in the lower rectum a bit and lubricate the area, so that at least the first BM was easier to pass. There is a mild type sold in Health Food Stores that's just oil, beeswax--whatever. You insert them just inside the anal past the sphincter---not far at all. You don't even need to put a finger in (for me--that added to all the chronic irritation). Have you ever tried a suppository? I had never used them before.
Sorry to go on---one more thing. Warning: gross description ahead.
I could usually feel if the BM was hard, and rather than open up the bleeding fissure, I would put the tips of my fingers (usually both hands) on each side of the anal opening to support the tissue and keep it from tearing during a bowel movement.
I don't know if you're having any problem of the sort I just described, but I know hard stools just don't come out the same way as normal or soft stools. I was so tired of having painful BMs that for a while, I think I was mentally "holding back"---not good!
Hang in there--you will figure this out!
Calli
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Re: A gross topic....stools
