Fecal Incontinence – Symptoms and Causes

What Is Fecal Incontinence?

Fecal incontinence happens when a person accidentally passes solid or liquid stool. This can occur when someone feels a sudden need to use the bathroom but can’t reach a toilet in time.

It may also happen when a person doesn’t even feel the need to pass stool.

The most common causes include:

• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Muscle damage
• Nerve damage

This condition can seriously impact daily life. Many people feel:

• Embarrassment
• Emotional stress
• Difficulty working
• Problems socializing

Though it’s a hard topic to discuss with healthcare providers, treatment options exist that can improve symptoms and quality of life. Many people avoid seeking help due to embarrassment, but proper diagnosis is an important first step.

Some medical professionals refer to this condition as bowel incontinence or accidental bowel leakage.

Symptoms

Fecal incontinence is the inability to control bowel movements. This problem might be temporary during an illness with diarrhea, or it may be a long-term condition for some people.

Two main types of fecal incontinence exist:

• Urge Incontinence: When you feel a sudden need to use the bathroom but cannot hold it long enough to reach a toilet.
• Passive Incontinence: When stool passes without you feeling the need or being aware it’s happening.

Some people may also experience stool leakage when passing gas.

When to Get Medical Help

Contact your healthcare provider if you or your child has trouble controlling bowel movements. This is particularly important if the problem:

• Occurs frequently
• Causes emotional distress or embarrassment
• Interferes with your regular activities
• Makes you avoid social situations with family or friends

Healthcare providers deal with these issues regularly and can offer effective treatment options.

Causes

Fecal incontinence often results from multiple factors working together. Below are the main causes of this condition.

Stool Consistency Problems

• Watery diarrhea can fill the rectum quickly and become hard to control
• Severe constipation might block the rectum, allowing liquid stool to leak around the blockage

Muscle Weakness or Damage

The muscles controlling bowel movements can become compromised in several ways:

• Childbirth injuries, especially when forceps are used
• Episiotomy cuts during delivery
• Damage from accidents, surgical procedures, or radiation treatments
• Natural weakening of muscles that occurs with aging

Nerve Disorders

Problems with the nervous system can interfere with bowel control by affecting muscle function or the ability to sense when to pass stool:

• Brain conditions like Parkinson’s disease, dementia, stroke, or cerebral palsy
• Chronic conditions affecting nerves such as diabetes or multiple sclerosis
• Injuries or tumors affecting the spinal cord
• Nerve damage during surgical procedures

Structural Abnormalities

Physical problems with the rectum or anus can lead to incontinence:

• Rectal scarring or inflammation that reduces the rectum’s holding capacity
• Rectal prolapse, where the rectum drops through the anus
• Hemorrhoids that interfere with proper closure of anal muscles
• Rectocele, a condition where the rectum bulges into the vagina

These factors often combine to cause bowel control issues. A person might have muscle damage from childbirth along with nerve problems from another condition, making the incontinence worse than either cause alone would.

Risk Factors

Several factors may raise your chance of having fecal incontinence:

• Age: People over 65 are more likely to develop this condition.
• Gender: Women face higher risks, possibly due to childbirth injuries or hormone treatments during menopause.
• Digestive Disorders: Long-term conditions like inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and celiac disease increase risk.

Mental disabilities or dementia can affect toilet planning and awareness. Physical limitations may make reaching the bathroom in time difficult. Nerve or muscle damage from injuries also raises risk.

Your lifestyle choices matter too. Being overweight, not exercising regularly, smoking, and drinking caffeine or alcohol can all make fecal incontinence more likely.

Problems That May Occur

People with fecal incontinence often face emotional challenges. Many feel embarrassed about their condition and might avoid social activities. This can lead to feelings of anxiety or depression.

The skin around the anus can become irritated from constant contact with stool. This may cause:

• Itching and pain
• Redness and discomfort
• Sores in the rectal tissue

These physical issues can make the condition more uncomfortable and may require additional treatment.

Prevention

Taking steps to prevent fecal incontinence can help many people avoid this problem. Here are some helpful strategies:

Manage Constipation:

• Exercise regularly.
• Eat fiber-rich foods.
• Drink plenty of water daily.

Control Loose Stools:

• Avoid trigger foods like caffeine and alcohol.
• Limit dairy products if they cause problems.
• Reduce fatty foods in your diet.

Use Proper Bathroom Habits:

• Don’t strain during bowel movements.
• This protects both sphincter muscles and nerves.