Table of Contents
- Overview
- Treatment
- Prevention
- Images
Bowel incontinence is the loss of bowel control, leading to an involuntary passage of stool. This can range from occasionally leaking a small amount of stool and passing gas, to completely losing control of bowel movements.
Alternative Names
Uncontrollable passage of feces; Loss of bowel control; Fecal incontinence; Incontinence - bowel
Considerations
Among people over age 65, most surveys find that women experience bowel incontinence more often than men. One to three out of every 1,000 women report a loss of bowel control at least once per month.
To hold stool and maintain continence, the rectum, anus, pelvic muscles, and nervous system must function normally. You must also have the physical and mental ability to recognize and respond to the urge to have a bowel movement.
Common Causes
- Chronic
constipation , causing the muscles of the anus and intestines to stretch and weaken, and leading todiarrhea and stool leakage (see:encopresis ) - Chronic laxative use
-
Colectomy or bowel surgery - Decreased awareness of sensation of rectal fullness
- Emotional problems
- Gynecological, prostate, or rectal surgery
- Injury to the anal muscles due to childbirth (in women)
- Nerve or muscle damage (from trauma, tumor, or radiation)
- Severe diarrhea that overwhelms the ability to control passage of stool
- Severe
hemorrhoids orrectal prolapse - Stress of unfamiliar environment
Review Date: 11/23/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of
General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington
School of Medicine; and George F. Longstreth, MD, Department of
Gastroenterology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, San
Diego, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical
Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)

