Hard to hold poop? Maybe a Sign of Fecal Incontinence
Sometimes, certain conditions require us to hold bowel movements, for example, while in the middle of a trip. However, some people find it hard to hold it so that the stool or faeces can pass by themselves. Well, conditions like this are a sign of faecal incontinence or vaginal incontinence.
If it happens in a public place, of course, it can be an embarrassing condition for people who experience it. What are the conditions, symptoms, causes, and treatment for faecal incontinence? Check out the following reviews, yes!
1. The body is unable to control bowel movements
Launching Medical News Today, faecal incontinence is a condition when a person's body cannot control bowel movements (BAB). As a result, stool or faeces can come out suddenly from the rectum.
Faecal incontinence experienced by each patient may vary, ranging from passing a small number of faeces when passing urine to losing control of bowel movements. This condition is not life-threatening, but it can cause embarrassment and interfere with daily life for people who experience it.
2. Symptoms that arise in patients with faecal incontinence
Faecal incontinence can occur temporarily when a person has diarrhoea. But in some people, this condition can occur repeatedly. Symptoms depend on the type of faecal incontinence experienced, namely urge incontinence and passive incontinence.
Urge incontinence occurs when a person feels a sudden urge to defecate that is difficult to control. Meanwhile, passive incontinence is characterized by the involuntary discharge of stools or without the urge to defecate.
This condition can also be accompanied by other symptoms, such as abdominal pain or cramping, bloating, constipation or constipation, diarrhoea, irritated or itchy anus, and urinary incontinence.
3. Certain conditions that can cause faecal incontinence
Reporting from the Mayo Clinic, several conditions make it difficult for a person's body to control bowel movements, including:
- Damage to the anal sphincter, injury to the ring of muscle located at the end of the rectum (anal sphincter). This damage can occur in a normal delivery, especially if an episiotomy is performed or using forceps during delivery.
- Damage to the nerves that control the anal sphincter can result from trauma from childbirth, excessive straining during urination, spinal cord injury, stroke, medical conditions, such as diabetes or multiple sclerosis.
- Chronic constipation can cause hard stools to form in the rectum and become too large to pass. The muscles of the rectum and intestines stretch and eventually weaken. Chronic constipation can also cause nerve damage that triggers faecal incontinence.
- Diarrhoea, loose stools in diarrhoea can cause or worsen faecal incontinence
- Surgery, such as surgery to treat haemorrhoids or other operations involving the rectum and anus, which can result in muscle and nerve damage
- Rectal prolapse, the condition of the rectum down to the anus
- Rectocele, a condition that protrudes from the rectum to the vaginal area in women
4. Some factors that increase the risk of faecal incontinence
Conditions difficult to hold this CHAPTER can happen to anyone. However, certain factors increase the risk of faecal incontinence, including:
- Over 65 years old
- Female gender
- Women who have given birth by normal delivery
- People who have long-term diabetes, multiple sclerosis or have an injury can damage the nerves that help control bowel movements.
5. How to deal with faecal incontinence
Launching Healthline, the treatment for faecal incontinence is adjusted to the cause. If triggered by diarrhoea or constipation, the patient needs to avoid foods that trigger it. Doctors will recommend patients consume foods rich in fibre and increase fluid consumption.
Medications are also usually prescribed by doctors, such as anti-diarrhoea drugs or fibre supplements to treat constipation. Another option is a medication or gel that is injected into the anus to treat faecal incontinence.
In addition, train bowel movements to be normal by making a regular schedule of bowel movements and using suppositories to stimulate bowel movements. Doing physical exercises, such as Kegel exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles or utilizing biofeedback.
Surgery is performed if incontinence cannot be treated by other methods. Surgery is tailored to the condition and cause of faecal incontinence.
Those were some things about faecal incontinence. This condition may also make it difficult for sufferers when they are outside the home. For that, don't hesitate to consult a doctor to find out the exact cause so that it can be treated appropriately.