What Is Fecal Incontinence?
Fecal incontinence, also called bowel incontinence or anal incontinence, is a condition where stool (poop) is leaked involuntarily.
It can range in severity, from a small amount of leakage (minor incontinence) to a more uncontrollable loss of stool (major incontinence). Fecal incontinence can be heavy enough to soil clothing, and therefore can be very inconvenient.
Those with fecal incontinence may experience not just the involuntary leakage of stool, but also gas (sometimes called gas incontinence).
Other symptoms associated with fecal incontinence can include diarrhea, constipation, urgency, incomplete bowel movements, pain, or discomfort. Individuals who experience fecal incontinence may visit the restroom often, and may experience leakage during the night while sleeping.
Fecal incontinence may feel embarrassing, but rest assured that it is more common than you think and many professionals are skilled in treating it! Pelvic floor physical therapy is a great treatment option for fecal incontinence, which you will learn more about below.
What Causes Fecal Incontinence?
Fecal incontinence is commonly due to the inability to control your bowel movements. The bowels are controlled by the pelvic floor, a group of muscles in your pelvis. These muscles can contract and relax in order to allow for a wide variety of functions (bladder and bowel continence, sexual function, and more).
In some cases however, the pelvic floor may not be in the best health. It may be too tight, weak, inflexible, or incoordinated—all of which can affect your bowel movements.
When the pelvic floor is in this type of condition, it is referred to as pelvic floor dysfunction. With pelvic floor dysfunction, your pelvic floor may be unable to hold in your stool, resulting in urgency (rushing to the restroom) and leakage.
There are many different things that can cause pelvic floor dysfunction. Childbirth, injury, surgery, poor posture, and poor restroom habits can all have significant impacts on the pelvic floor. If you’d like to learn more about these causes, visit the pelvic floor dysfunction page.
There are other factors that can contribute to or cause fecal incontinence, many of which can still benefit from pelvic floor physical therapy. Some examples include the following:
- Obstructions such as rectal prolapse or a rectocele.
- Hemorrhoids (these swollen veins can allow leakage to slip past the anal sphincter muscles).
- Nerve damage from diabetes or neurological disorders.
- Anal sphincter damage from childbirth, injury, or surgery.
- Pre-existing conditions such as IBS, IBD, or celiac disease.
How Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Can Help
Pelvic floor physical therapy is an area of care specifically designed to get your pelvic floor back to working order. A pelvic floor physical therapist such as myself can identify the problems your pelvic floor may have (weakness, tightness, incoordination, inflexibility, and more).
After identifying these dysfunctions and thoroughly discussing your medical history, I can create a comprehensive plan of care that will help you better manage and reduce your fecal incontinence!
Each person’s care plan can differ. This is because each person’s pelvic floor will have different struggles caused by different causes (childbirth, aging, surgery, pre-existing conditions, etc.). In other words, you won’t be receiving a cookie-cutter care plan. Instead, you’ll experience treatments specifically chosen for your unique needs!
In your care plan, I will utilize a variety of treatment methods that will reduce tension, rebuild strength, and encourage coordination in your pelvic floor. This can include hands-on manual therapies, exercises and stretching, behavioral modifications, neuromuscular re-education, and biofeedback.
Treatment will require practice and consistency at home, too. No need to worry—I’ll be sure to provide you with plenty of education, guidance, and resources for achieving your long-term pelvic floor health goals!
Through your individualized treatment, you’ll have a better understanding of how the pelvic floor works, why you were experiencing incontinence, and how to better manage or prevent it in the long-run. I can also recommend a variety of everyday use items to help you manage leakage and prevent soiling of your clothing.
If you’re ready to get started on your health journey, schedule an appointment! Or, check out the discovery call if you have further questions.
