INCONTINENCE
Bowel incontinence
Bowel control problems are more common than you may think. 1 in 20 Australians have a bowel control problem.³
Bowel (or faecal) incontinence is the inability to control your bowel movements, which may have bothersome consequences. You may experience unexpected small or large leaks, use the bathroom very frequently, or have uncontrollable urges to use the toilet. Some people experience a combination of these symptoms.
Is bowel incontinence common?
Bowel incontinence is more common than you’d expect, and it affects both men and women. Prevalence increases with age, but bowel incontinence is not confined to the elderly: one study showed 6.6% of individuals are affected by it.1 Experienced as a legitimate handicap, it puts patients in real distress, considerably altering their quality of life.2
How does bowel continence work?
The ability to hold stool is called continence and requires the rectum, anus and nervous system to be working normally and in a synchronised manner.
Stool is held in the rectum by two muscle groups, the internal and external anal sphincters. These muscles surround the anus and rectum and when contracted can stop the passage of stool.
Normal continence also requires the ability to sense the presence of stool in the rectum (called rectal sensation) and to store stool (called rectal compliance).
Symptoms of bowel incontinence
Bowel incontinence is the inability to control your bowel movements, usually associated with one or more of the following symptoms:
Accidents, or faecal leakage outside of severe diarrhea
Inability to hold gas
Inability to control when and how often to use the toilet
Difficulty reaching the toilet in time
Diagnosis
- Talk to your doctor about your symptoms and how they affect your daily life.
- Your doctor will make a diagnosis based on your symptoms. Incontinence may be treatable, and you don’t have to face it alone.
- Explore treatment options to find out more about bowel incontinence and existing solutions.
References
1. Giebel, G. D., Lefering, R., Troidl, H. & Blöchl, H. Prevalence of fecal incontinence: what can be expected? Int. J. Colorectal Dis.13, 73–7 (1998).
2. Meyer I, Richter HE. Impact of fecal incontinence and its treatment on quality of life in women. Womens Health (Lond). 2015 Mar;11(2):225-38. doi: 10.2217/whe.14.66. PMID: 25776296; PMCID: PMC4394646.).
3. Continence Health Australia. (n.d.). Bowel Health. Retrieved from https://www.continence.org.au/continence-health/bowel