Hemorrhoid or anal fissure?

For the past 3 months, since the birth of my son, I have had pain during and after bowel movements (7-8 hours) and my stool is streaked with blood on one side. My doctor examined me shortly after the first occurrence and informed me that I have a large hemorrhoid. I recently saw a specialist who said that internal hemorrhoids do not cause pain because of where they are situated in the rectum, above the dentate line. He said the pain I am experiencing is likely due to a fissure. I am to be scheduled for rubber band ligation shortly, but I don't want to undergo the procedure if it is not the hemorrhoid causing the pain. I fear I may have been misdiagnosed. The pain I feel is on the inside of the opening of the anus, on my left side. When I examine myself, while straining, I do not see a hemorrhoid, which leads me to think that the hemorrhoid my doctor found 3 months ago with her anoscope is higher up, not at the edge, and therefore not the cause of my pain? Can an internal hemorrhoid cause pain for 7-8 hours after a bowel movement?

[CalGal]

An anal fissure often feels like being cut by glass shards when someone is having a bowel movement. If the pain is less than that, it's probably due to hemorrhoids.