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What is bowel incontinence and how to manage it?
Experiencing bowel incontinence can be distressing, and have an impact on your daily life. But remember that you’re not alone, and effective management strategies are available. In this blog, we’ll look at answering questions like ‘what is bowel incontinence’ and ‘how to manage bowel incontinence’, to support your day-to-day.
What is bowel incontinence?
Bowel incontinence, also known as faecal incontinence, is the accidental or involuntary passing of stool or gas. It can range from an occasional leakage of stool when passing gas to a complete loss of bowel control. This condition can be incredibly distressing and have a significant impact on a person's quality of life.
What causes bowel incontinence?
There are numerous potential causes of bowel incontinence, and it's often a result of a combination of factors. Some common causes include:
- Muscle damage: The muscles that control bowel movements can weaken or be damaged due to childbirth, surgery, or conditions like diabetes.
- Nerve damage: Nerves that send signals between the brain and the bowels can be damaged due to conditions like multiple sclerosis, stroke, or spinal cord injury.
- Diarrhoea: Frequent loose stools can make it difficult to control bowel movements.
- Constipation: Chronic constipation can lead to a buildup of stool.
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): Conditions like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis can cause inflammation and damage to the digestive tract.
- Ageing: As we age, our muscles naturally weaken, which can contribute to bowel incontinence.
How to manage bowel incontinence
While bowel incontinence can be a challenging condition, there are several effective management strategies that can help improve symptoms and quality of life.
Lifestyle changes
- Dietary modifications: Identifying and avoiding foods that trigger diarrhoea or constipation can significantly improve bowel control. Keeping a food diary can help pinpoint problematic foods. Increasing fibre intake can help regulate bowel movements.
- Bowel training: Establishing a regular toilet routine can help retrain the bowels. This involves going to the toilet at the same time each day, even if you don't feel the urge.
- Pelvic floor exercises: Strengthening the pelvic floor muscles can improve bowel control. Kegel exercises are a common type of pelvic floor exercise.
Medical treatments
- Medications: Depending on the underlying cause, your doctor may recommend medications to treat diarrhoea, constipation, or inflammation.
- Biofeedback therapy: This technique helps you become more aware of your body's signals and learn to control your pelvic floor muscles.
- Surgery: In some cases, surgery may be necessary to repair damaged muscles or correct anatomical problems.
Incontinence products
- Incontinence pads and underwear: These products can help absorb leaks and protect clothing. At Incontinence Choice, we have a range of products that can support you including Adult Nappies, Disposable Incontinence Pants and more. See our blog on the best incontinence pads for bowel incontinence for some advice.
- Barrier creams: These creams can help protect the skin from irritation caused by stool leakage.
Living with bowel incontinence
Living with bowel incontinence can be challenging. Here are some tips to help you cope:
- Seek support: Talk to your doctor, a continence nurse, or a support group. Sharing your experiences with others can be helpful.
- Practice good hygiene: Keep clean and dry to prevent skin irritation.
- Plan ahead: When going out, know where the bathrooms are and bring extra supplies.
- Don't let it control your life: While it may require some adjustments, bowel incontinence doesn't have to prevent you from enjoying your life.
If you're experiencing symptoms of bowel incontinence, it's important to see your doctor. They can help determine the underlying cause and recommend appropriate treatment options.
Find the right incontinence products for you
We hope we’ve managed to provide you with some insightful information on how you can better manage your bowel incontinence. If you’re in need of some products to support you, why not check out what we have to offer at Incontinence Choice?
