Fecal incontinence, also referred to as bowel incontinence, is the inability to control bowel movements, causing stool (feces) to leak unexpectedly from the rectum. This type of incontinence can range from an occasional leakage of stool while passing gas to a complete loss of bowel control.
Some signs and symptoms include:
Having trouble holding a bowel movement, solid or liquid stool leaking when least expected, finding streaks of stool in the underwear and needing to find a restroom when out in public.
A number of underlying conditions can cause fecal incontinence including:
- Diarrhea
- Constipation – watery stools can leak out around hard stools. Constipation can also cause muscles of the rectum to stretch and weaken.
- Damage to muscles or nerves. Any damage to the anus can create incontinence issues as stool can leak out. Weak pelvic floor muscles also make holding stool in the rectum more difficult. Nerve damage can be caused by hemorrhoid surgery, a history of straining, childbirth, stroke, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury
- Rectal change – radiation treatment for rectal cancer or other pelvic cancers can cause scarring of the rectum, reducing its ability to keep stool from leaking.
- Aging – As you age, muscles and tissues lose elasticity. As this ability to stretch becomes more limited, leakage can occur.
- Childbirth – puts a lot of stress on the body. If there is damage to the pelvic floor muscles during delivery, bowel control problems can appear immediately. Injuries during labor can also include the nerves, tearing of muscles during delivery, damage from forceps or an episiotomy.
- Gallbladder removal – due to an increased amount of bile in the intestines, it creates a laxative effect.
- Medication side effects
- Pelvic Floor Dysfunction. Pelvic floor strength is critical to digestive (bowel) health for both women and men. Here’s how a poorly functioning pelvic floor can create a situation for ABL.
Treatment relies on correctly diagnosing the underlying problem and can be easily controlled with lifestyle modifications including diet and behavioral modifications. If the condition is more serious, medications, non-invasive procedures or surgery may be an option