Can anal tear during vaginal delivery be healed?

When a woman gives birth naturally, her anus may be torn. This is mainly because the anus and external genitalia are close to each other. During delivery, this part of the soft tissue will suffer serious trauma, which may form a crack. In severe cases, it may even tear the anus. This situation needs to be recovered in time, and attention should be paid to the cleanliness of the private parts, infection should be prevented, and dietary adjustments should be strengthened.

Can anal tear during vaginal delivery be healed?

First degree tear

Apart from some minor discomfort, it is unlikely to cause any other problems and usually heals within a few days. After all, it is just a small wound on the skin, but it is located in a relatively sensitive area, and it will be touched when sitting (it will be more comfortable if you sit on a pillow in the first few days). First-degree tears need to be sutured after delivery so that the muscle tissue can heal and recover.

Second degree tear

It will cause a lot of pain and may take a week or more to recover, depending on the length and depth of the wound. Your midwife will routinely check your stitches. If you are in pain, she will also give you paracetamol or a similar mild pain reliever to help. You may have days when sitting is painful and you may need a pillow or cushion to help you. A fairly deep tear, called a third-degree tear, can pass through the skin and muscle tissue into the rectum.

Third degree tear

Unlike first- and second-degree lacerations, they are often caused by an oversized fetus, rapid delivery, or stretching of the episiotomy. If a third-degree tear is not closed quickly and skillfully, it can cause further complications because fecal matter can flow from the intestine into the wound and vagina, causing infection and incontinence.

A third-degree tear is likely to cause pain for 2 weeks or longer due to deep damage to muscle tissue. You'll need analgesics to relieve the pain and special inflatable cushions (like a child's rubber ring) to make you comfortable while sitting.

How much pain and how long it takes for the tearing and stitching to hurt can vary widely between women. If the tear is causing you pain, let your midwife know rather than trying to hold it in. Because pain can indicate infection or whether the stitches are tight enough, you need to be aware of your pain at all times. It's worth remembering that even if the tear heals within a week, you will experience a long period of discomfort due to internal swelling and bruising caused by childbirth.