Bowel Incontinence

The leaking of the stools or urine from the bowels is known as incontinence. It is otherwise known as anal incontinence or faecal incontinence. The loss of gas, liquid stools or solid stools occur in an uncontrollable way.

The bowel incontinence is very distressing. It results in embarrassing situations and the persons suffering from this problem find it difficult to have a normal life. Bowel incontinence can be seen particularly in elder people whose are suffering from a long term medical condition and lack in mobility. But anyone can develop this condition.

Causes for bowel incontinence

The sphincter muscles help in the contraction and relaxation of the anus. While passing urine, these muscles must be controlled, but when one wants to pass faeces, the sphincter muscles relax and open the anus.

This helps to control the urinating sensation as well as the sensation of passing faeces.

If the nerves and muscles controlling the sphincter muscles do not function properly, then the bowel incontinence develops. This occurs due to a variety of reasons. Some of the factors that cause bowel incontinence are:

• Diet – the food that result in the increase of flatulence which in turn forces the anus to relax, thereby leaking gas. Any food that causes the stools to be more of a liquid form like beer can cause incontinence.
• Irritable bowel syndrome – the muscles of the bowel tend to become sensitive. So the bowel muscles will start very strong squeezes. This will cause the person to develop an emergency to pass stools or wind. This can also cause leakage.
• Child birth – a woman who is above thirty five years old, normally faces the problem of incontinence as the anal muscles tend to tear off during delivery or an episiotomy had been performed.
• Older people face this problem more.
• Constipation can lead to incontinence as faeces that are really hard get collected in the lower part of the bowel.
• Use of certain medicines loosen the faeces and cause incontinence.
• Over usage of laxatives can lead to incontinence.
• If the sphincter muscles suffer form any injury or damage, it can lead to bowel incontinence.
• Disorders affecting the lower bowels like cancer, haemorrhoids or even anal fistula can lead to bowel incontinence.

Treatment

The treatment for bowel incontinence is determined by the cause of the incontinence. The various methods of treatment are:

Medication – Drugs can be used for the treatment of mild incontinences of the bowel that happen occasionally. If the bowel continence occurs because of weakening of sphincter muscles, loose stools or the squeezing of the muscles is high, then one can use drugs to rectify it.
If a person does pelvic floor exercises regularly, it will help in the strengthening of the muscles present around the anus and rectum.
If the bowel incontinence occurs due to constipation, then one can have food rich in high fibres to avoid constipation.
Biofeedback helps in the identification of the full rectum. Thus it helps to control the immediate rushing into the bathroom.

If none of the above methods are effective, then one of the following may be adopted:

• muscle transplantation
• repair of the sphincter muscles.
• colostomy can be done for diverting the faeces