Fecal Incontinence

When stool (stool ) leaks right out of the anus unintentionally, it`s called fecal incontinence. Under ordinary conditions, stool passes the ending portion of the large intestine, also called the anus, where it`s temporarily stored before a bowel movement occurs. Since the anus fills with feces, the rectal sphincter muscle (a circular muscle surrounding the anal canal) prevents feces from coming out of their rectum until it`s time to have a deliberate (controlled) gut motion.

Incontinence can be caused by A variety of conditions. The most common reason for incontinence is the rectal sphincter becomes too weak to hold the feces in the anus. Sometimes the anus might start to lose its ability or the individual could be unable to believe the rectum is full. In addition, a person has to manage to be aware of the need to empty the bowel, also be portable enough to reach the bathroom with time. Diarrhea from any origin makes incontinence worse (since it`s more challenging to regulate liquid feces compared to solid feces ).

The rectal sphincter might become weak either by direct harm to the muscle or out of damage to the nerves which cause the muscle to contract.

Damage to muscles can be caused by:

• Childbirth

• Allergic operation

• Inflammatory bowel disease (notably Crohn`s disease)

• Upheaval

Damage to nerves can be caused by:

• Diabetes

• Back injury

• Multiple sclerosis

• Unknown Aspects

The sphincter muscle might be weak out of aging, since all your human body tissues often weaken as we get old.

Infection

Symptoms of incontinence may range from mild spotting of liquid feces, into the full inability to comprise stool that is solid.

Diagnosis

Similar to any anal or rectal illness, doctors evaluate contraceptive initially by inspecting the anus, feeling in the rectum using a gloved finger (digital rectal exam), also looking in the rectal canal using a tiny short range ("anoscope"). There can be scarring or an obvious defect at the rectal canal if there has been damage to the sphincter muscle.

Also, the digital rectal exam may reveal a weakness of the sphincter muscle. Nerve damage may be identified with the"wink" evaluation, where a physician touches the rectum to see if the hairline contracts generally.

The next evaluation is a sigmoidoscopy. A physician inserts a thin, flexible tube (fitted using a light and camcorder ) to the anus to find tumors, inflammation or other issues. Your physician can suggest a barium enema xray or colonoscopy to search for issues in the colon.

Further diagnostic evaluations might include anal manometry, electromyography ("EMG"), along with rectal ultrasound. Anal measures the potency of their rectal sphincter muscle. EMG measures the nerves which go to the sphincter muscle`s function. Anal ultrasound may give a picture of the arrangement of this muscle (to see if there are any flaws or defects in muscle).

Expected Duration

Fecal incontinence, when due to some problem such as fecal impaction or diarrhea, vanishes when that challenge is treated. However, in some cases incontinence can be hard to get a grip on and intense. It really is more likely to occur in people that are immobile, frail or older.

Prevention

Most usually fecal incontinence cannot be prevented. However, taking steps to have regular bowel movements and avoiding constipation with impaction might help.

Treatment

Treatment for erectile incontinence is dependent upon the cause of the issue. Fiber supplements which contain psyllium may allow you to have firmer stools, that increase the sensation of rectal fullness if fecal incontinence is the consequence of diarrhea. Antidiarrhea medications such as for instance"Kaopectate," loperamide ("Imodium") or"Lomotil" are different possibilities for curing diarrhea.

The hardened feces can be removed by hand with enemas if the condition could be the consequence of impaction. Emptying the rectum completely each morning (sometimes with the help of a glycerin suppository or a enema) might help, since there will be less stool to leak out during your daytime.

Pelvic muscle exercises (Kegel exercises) are sometimes useful. You want to apply contracting your sphincter three or more times per day. It is also crucial that your rectal muscles are contracted by you whenever you feel fullness in the anus.

Sometimes an effective way to cure fecal incontinence is with bio feedback. People are able to know, with the help of a monitor and a nurse, to organize contraction of the sphincter muscle when feces is at the anus with the fullness which takes place. Learning how the technique demands training and patience.

When conservative treatments fail, the alternative is operation. Some people gain in surgeries to repair the rectal sphincter muscle ("sphincteroplasty"). Sphincteroplasty is effective as long as evaluations show that there has been major damage to the muscle in childbirth, trauma, or previous operation (it`s really is just not effective if the sphincter muscle is weak just from nerve damage or aging).

Yet another choice is to augmentation electric stimulation electrodes over the tail bone to help contract the sphincter muscle ("alveolar nerve stimuli"). Sacral nerve stimulation is still somewhat experimental, although promising. Artificial anal sphincter devices are available, however they will have complication rates. Each one of these approaches have only moderate success rates, however.

If all else fails, operation may enhance the standard of life for some patients with acute incontinence.

When to Call a Skilled

Because of the embarrassment enclosing fecal incontinence, lots of people wait longer than necessary before seeking medical help. In the event the inability to control your bowel movements is an ongoing problem, ask your physician.

Prognosis

However some types of fecal incontinence are harder to treat than many others, a lot of people of this issue may achieve some progress. Between 70 percent and 80% of people with this problem get at least some relief with treatment.

External sources

American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) 11400 Tomahawk Creek Parkway Leawood, KS 66211-2672 Phone: 913-906-6000Toll-Free: 1-800-274-2237 http://www.familydoctor.org/

American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, Phone: 847-290-9184Fax: 847-290-9203http://www.fascrs.org

National Digestive Diseases Information Clearing House Two Information WayBethesda, MD 20892-3570Phone: 1-800-891-5389http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health/digest/digest.htm

Further information

Always ask your physician to be sure the information displayed on this page relates to your personal circumstances.