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You are here : AllRefer.com > Health > Medical Symptoms Guide > Bowel Incontinence

Bowel Incontinence

Provided by A.D.A.M.

Definition

Overview & Considerations

Common Causes

Home Care & Treatment

Call your Health Care Provider if

What to Expect at your Health Care Provider's Office

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Alternate Names : Fecal Incontinence, Incontinence - Bowel, Loss of Bowel Control, Uncontrollable Passage of Feces


Definition

Bowel incontinence is the loss of bowel control, resulting in involuntary passage of feces. This can range from an occasional leakage of stool with the passage of gas to a complete loss of control of bowel movements.

Urinary incontinence, a separate topic, is the inability to control the passage of urine.

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Digestive System

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Inflatable Artificial Sphincter

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Overview & Considerations

Among people over the age of 65, women more frequently experience bowel incontinence, with 13 out of every 1,000 women reporting loss of bowel control.

The most common cause of bowel incontinence, ironically, is constipation. Constipation causes the muscles of the anus and intestines to stretch and weaken. The weakened muscles will prevent the rectal sphincter from tightly closing thus resulting in leakage of stool. Weakened intestinal muscles will further slow down the transit time of the bowels, making it difficult to pass stools and further worsening the constipation.

Chronic stretching of the anal and intestinal muscles can also make the nerves of the anus and rectum less responsive to the presence of stool in the rectum.

The ability to hold stool and maintain continence requires normal function of the rectum, anus, and the nervous system. Additionally, the person must possess the physical and psychological ability to recognize and appropriately respond to the urge to defecate.

Problems with incontinence should be reported to the health care provider. Incontinence is not a hopeless situation. Proper treatment can help the majority of people, and often the problem can be eliminated altogether.



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Definition
Bowel Incontinence: Overview & Considerations
Bowel Incontinence: Common Causes
Bowel Incontinence: Home Care & Treatment
Call your Health Care Provider if
What to Expect at your Health Care Provider's Office
Pictures & Images

Topics that might be of interest to you

Diseases & Conditions

Encopresis
Fecal Impaction
Hemorrhoids
Rectal Prolapse
Stress Incontinence
Stroke

Tests & Exams

Barium Enema
Electromyography
Fecal Culture
Ultrasound

Surgery & Procedures

Bowel Resection
Colostomy

Other Topics

Bowel Retraining
Constipation
Diarrhea
External Incontinence Devices
Fiber
Toileting Safety

Review Date : 4/29/2003
Reviewed By : Andrew J. Muir, M.D., M.H.S., Division of Gastroenterology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial reviewers. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

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Page Last Updated: 19 Jul, 2008