Anal fissure and anal fistula may sound similar because of their names. Surprisingly, other than the fact that they are issues that originate near the anus, these two conditions are very different. The main distinguishing factors between an anal fissure and an anal fistula are the cause of the issue, the symptoms present, the extent of the issue, and the treatment needed to provide relief.  Below, we will take a deep dive into these variances between each condition.