Fecal incontinence—also called bowel incontinence—is the inability to control your bowel movements, causing stool (feces) to leak from your rectum. This can range from occasional leakage when passing gas to a complete loss of bowel control.
This condition occurs when the nerves and muscles that help control bowel movements don’t work the way they should. Normally, these nerves signal muscles in the rectum and anus when to tighten or relax, allowing you to control when you release stool.
Fecal incontinence can be distressing and embarrassing, but it’s important to know that effective treatments for fecal incontinence are available that can help improve or restore your ability to control this bodily function. From lifestyle changes and physical therapy to medications and surgical options, help is available to improve your quality of life.
Causes and Risk Factors for Fecal Incontinence
Many conditions can affect the nerves and muscles that control the bowel and cause fecal incontinence. These include:
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Aging, which can weaken the anal sphincter muscles
- Childbirth, particularly vaginal deliveries that stretch or damage the nerves and muscles
- Trauma to the vaginal or rectal area
- Anal surgery
- Hemorrhoids
- Radiation treatment to the anal area (rectal wall tissue can stiffen after treatment)
- Inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Rectal prolapse (when the rectum bulges into the anus)
- Rectocele (when the rectum protrudes into the vagina)
- Nerve-related conditions such as multiple sclerosis, diabetes, stroke, or Alzheimer’s disease
- Infections that affect the spinal cord or brain
- Stress
- Side effects from certain medications
- Pelvic floor dysfunction
Symptoms of Fecal Incontinence
Symptoms of fecal incontinence can range from occasional leakage to frequent loss of bowel control. They include:
- Inability to hold in gas
- Leakage stool during physical activity or exertion
- Urgent need to get to the toilet, sometimes not making it in time
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Abdominal cramping, bloating, or stomach “gurgling”
The only time that fecal “accidents” are considered normal is during episodes of severe diarrhea, so it’s important to see your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms.
Treatment Options
Treating fecal incontinence depends on the cause and severity of your symptoms and may include:
- Dietary changes to help manage diarrhea and constipation, such as increasing fiber and avoiding trigger foods (for example, spicy foods, fatty foods, dairy products if you are lactose-intolerant, products with artificial sweeteners)
- Kegel exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor and sphincter muscles
- Biofeedback therapy to help you learn to contract the right muscles for better control
- Medications to manage diarrhea or improve bowel function
- Bowel retraining with scheduled toileting to improve consistency
- Sacral nerve stimulation, a small device implanted to help regulate bowel activity
- Injection of biomaterials to tighten the anal canal
- Minimally invasive, robotically assisted surgical procedures, for women with a damaged anal sphincter caused by childbirth (sphincteroplasty) and specialized surgery for pelvic organ prolapse (rectocele and rectal prolapse)
Why Choose Cooper to Diagnose and Treat Fecal Incontinence
Cooper University Health Care offers a comprehensive urogynecology program that is on the forefront of care for urinary incontinence in women. Women trust Cooper for our:
- Compassionate, expert care: Our fellowship-trained urogynecologists offer a full range of today’s most advanced diagnostic and treatment options, delivered in a caring, sensitive manner
- The only pelvic floor physical therapy (PT) program in the region: this specialized form of rehabilitation focuses on strengthening the pelvic floor to help control fecal incontinence
- Minimally invasive surgical expertise: Cooper is the only health system in the region to offer robotic surgery for pelvic floor disorders and fecal incontinence, resulting in faster recovery, reduced pain and minimal scarring
- Academic excellence: Our urogynecologists are faculty at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, training the next generation of specialists
- Innovation and research: Our urogynecologists are involved in ongoing research, giving your access to the latest advances in treatment
Schedule an Appointment
To learn more about the resources available for diagnosing and treating fecal incontinence in women at Cooper or to request an appointment, please call 800.8.COOPER (800.826.6737).