Treatment options for bowel incontinence
#WorldContinenceWeek
Finding relief from the loss of bowel control can be a long journey. There are several treatment options for bowel incontinence, including neuromodulation. If other treatments haven’t worked for you, talk to your doctor about how neuromodulation may be able to help.
Behavioral techniques
Some people can reduce their bowel control symptoms with lifestyle changes, diet modification, bowel retraining, Kegel exercises, or other kinds of physical therapy.
Medications
Your doctor may prescribe medications to help control the symptoms of bowel incontinence. Medications used for bowel control problems offer a possible solution and may include anti-diarrheal medicines.
Neuromodulation
Your doctor may recommend neuromodulation if you have not had success with, or are not a candidate for, more conservative treatments.*
Medtronic Bowel Control Therapy (Sacral Neuromodulation) is an FDA-approved therapy that targets the communication problem between the brain and the nerves that control bowel function.1,2 If those nerves are not communicating correctly, the bowel muscles may not function properly and may cause bowel control problems.
Medtronic Bowel Control Therapy will not cure your bowel control problems. It may, however, reduce your symptoms to a tolerable level and allow you to resume many of your daily activities.
This therapy is not for everyone. Not everyone will receive the same results.
- Gourcerol G. et al. How sacral nerve stimulation works in patients with faecal incontinence. Colorectal Dis. 13(8):e203-11 (2011)
- Sheldon, R., Kiff, E. S., Clarke, A., Harris, M. L. & Hamdy, S. Sacral nerve stimulation reduces corticoanal excitability in patients with faecal incontinence. Br. J. Surg. 92, 1423–1431 (2005)