Keep your stools soft by drinking plenty of water and increasing fibre in your diet with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Take warm sitz baths and use an over-the-counter stool softener or topical anaesthetic ointment to help reduce pain and promote healing of the fissure. If the anal fissure persists or worsens, please see a doctor for prescription treatments such as nitroglycerin rectal ointment.