Fecal Incontinence (cont.)
What Can I Do if I Have Bowel Incontinence?
See your doctor. Tests to determine the cause for incontinence can be completed during an outpatient appointment and are not
painful.
Once these tests have confirmed the cause of your incontinence, your doctor can make specific recommendations for treatment,
many of which do not require surgery.
No matter how serious the problem seems, incontinence is a condition that can be significantly helped and, in most cases,
cured.
How Is Bowel Incontinence Diagnosed?
Endosonography , also called rectal ultrasound, makes it possible to view
the anal sphincter muscles and precisely identify abnormalities. Ultrasound can be used to locate the exact position of a tear in
a muscle, even before bowel incontinence becomes a problem.
Other diagnostic procedures that may be used include:
- Flexible sigmoidoscopy. By using a thin, flexible lighted tube
called an endoscope, your doctor can examine the lining of the lower digestive tract.
- Manometry. This test measures the pressure and strength of the anal muscles and can determine if they are too weak
to function properly.
- Nerve studies. These tests check for nerve damage to determine if the nerves that communicate with the sphincter
muscles are working properly.
- Defecography. A test that uses X-rays to look at the shape and position of the rectum as it empties.
How Is Bowel Incontinence Treated?
Once the underlying cause of bowel incontinence has been identified, most people with this condition can be cured or the condition
can be significantly improved. However, the method of treatment depends on the cause of the incontinence.
Sometimes simple changes in diet or eliminating certain medications can be effective in helping patients regain bowel control.
More frequently, treatment involves a combination of medication, biofeedback and exercise.
- Medication. Sometimes taking medications to change the consistency of the stool can provide relief, since a person
can usually control stool better when it is firm rather than loose or liquid. Over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medications may
include Imodium or Kaopectate II, and prescription medications may include Lomotil.
- Biofeedback. Biofeedback training for bowel incontinence involves putting a pressure probe in the anus or a sensing
electrode on the skin. These devices are attached to a visual or sound display to tell the patient when the proper anal muscles
are being used. Biofeedback helps a patient improve the strength and coordination of the anal muscles that help control bowel
movements, as well as heightens the sensation related to the rectum filling with stool.
- Exercise. Muscle-strengthening exercises (called Kegel exercises or pelvic floor exercises) can be very helpful in
treating bowel incontinence. To do Kegel exercises contract the muscles of the anus, buttocks and pelvis and then hold as hard
as possible for a slow count of five and then relax. Imagine you are trying to stop the flow of stool or trying not to pass gas.
A series of 30 of these exercises should be done three times daily. In a few weeks, the pelvic floor muscles will be stronger and
often the incontinence improves or resolves.
- Surgery. Patients who continue to experience bowel incontinence despite other treatments may require surgery to regain
control. Surgery may especially be needed for patients who have experienced anal muscle injuries (as can occur during childbirth).
Next: What surgical procedures are used to treat bowel incontinence? »
- Fecal Occult Blood Test - Read about the fecal occult blood test in which there are two types, chemical and immunologic. Fecal occult blood tests are used to screen for colon cancer and colon polyps.
- Pinched Nerve - Read about the causes of a pinched nerve such as a herniated disc, arthritis, spinal stenosis, carpal tunnel syndrome and more. Symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment information is included.
- Flexible Sigmoidoscopy - Read about flexible sigmoidoscopy procedure used to examine the lower portion of the colon and rectum. It may be used to investigate the cause of rectal bleeding, bowel changes, rectal pain, and diarrhea.
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