Bowel Incontinence
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Summary
Bowel incontinence is the inability to control your bowels. When you feel the urge to have a bowel movement, you may not be able to hold it until you get to a toilet. Millions of Americans have this problem. It affects people of all ages - children and adults. It is more common in women and older adults. It is not a normal part of aging.
Causes include
- Constipation
- Damage to muscles or nerves of the anus and rectum
- Diarrhea
- Pelvic support problems
Treatments include changes in diet, medicines, bowel training, or surgery.
NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
-
Bowel Control Problems (Fecal Incontinence)
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
Also in Spanish
- Fecal Incontinence (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Symptoms
- Symptoms of Incontinence (International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders)
Diagnosis and Tests
-
Stool Diary
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
- PDF
Treatments and Therapies
- Bowel Retraining: Strategies for Establishing Bowel Control (International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders)
- Cecostomy (Johns Hopkins Medicine)
- Incontinence Treatment: Biofeedback (International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders)
- Incontinence Treatment: Medication (International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders)
- Incontinence Treatment: Newer Treatment Options (International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders)
- Incontinence Treatment: Surgical Treatments (International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders)
- Understanding Antegrade Colonic Enema (ACE) Surgery (Cleveland Clinic Foundation)
Living With
- Incontinence Treatment: Dietary Tips (International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders)
Statistics and Research
- Prevalence of Bowel Incontinence (International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders)
Clinical Trials
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Encopresis
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Acupuncture for fecal incontinence: Protocol for a systematic review and...
- Article: Anal Sphincteroplasty in the Minimally Invasive Era: Assessment of National...
- Article: Association of Delivery Mode With Pelvic Floor Disorders After Childbirth.
- Bowel Incontinence -- see more articles
- Soiling in children -- see more articles
Children
- Encopresis (Soiling) (Nemours Foundation)
- Fecal Incontinence in Children (International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders)
Women
- Accidental Bowel Leakage (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) Also in Spanish
Seniors
- Fecal Incontinence (AGS Foundation for Health in Aging)
Patient Handouts
- Bowel incontinence (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Encopresis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
-
Stool Diary
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
- PDF