What you need to know about bowel incontinence
Bowel incontinence is the loss of bowel control, causing you to pass stool unexpectedly. This can range from sometimes leaking a small amount of stool and passing gas, to not being able to control bowel movements.
Common causes of fecal incontinence include diarrhea, constipation, and muscle or nerve damage. The muscle or nerve damage may be associated with aging or childbirth.
Whatever the cause, fecal incontinence can be embarrassing. Many people don’t tell anyone about this problem and suffer privately. But don't shy away from talking to your doctor. Treatments can improve fecal incontinence and your quality of life. Call our doctors today!
Treatment of Bowel Incontinence
- Maintain a daily diary and indicate if the “accident” involved solid stools, liquid stools, or gas only.
- Perform “Kegel” exercises. Tighten up the muscles of your bottom and maintain the contraction for as long as you can. You may do this exercise while driving, walking, working, or watching the TV. The more you exercise the better.
- Take a high fiber diet. This includes bran, brown bread, vegetables, fruits, etc.
- Use Fibercon or other bulking agents
- Avoid foods that may cause diarrhea or loose stools. These may include milk & dairy products, gluten, and excessive consumption of water. Also avoid beer, carbonated or fizzy drinks, sugar-free substitutes, herbal supplements, chocolate, peppermints, or hard candy.
- If you have diarrhea along with incontinence then your doctor will have to first investigate and treat diarrhea.
- You may use over the counter Imodium if your stools are loose. Imodium 2mg can be taken up to 3 times per day.
- You may also avoid accidents by using the technique of controlled evacuation. This involves inserting a suppository or an enema in the morning. The rectum will be evacuated in the next few minutes and there will be nothing left to “leak out” later in the day.
www. ColonSurgeonHouston.com
Khawaja Azimuddin M.D. & Tal Raphaeli M.D. & Jean Knapps M.D.
1125 Cypress Station Dr, Suite G, Houston TX 77090
Tel: 281-583 1300 Fax: 281-583 1303
YOU DON’T HAVE TO SUFFER: CALL TODAY FOR AN APPOINTMENT