What is Fecal Incontinence?
Fecal incontinence, also referred to as bowel incontinence, is a medical condition wherein one is unable to control bowel movements. It can be mild causing liquid or poop to occasionally leak from the rectum while passing gas without warning or it can be severe causing unintentional complete loss of control of passing of solid stool.
Fecal incontinence is of two kinds: urge incontinence and passive incontinence. In an urge to incontinence, one feels the urge to defecate but cannot rush to the washroom quickly enough to prevent soiling oneself. It happens because of the issues with the pelvic muscles that control bowel movements. In the case of passive incontinence, the rectum that holds the stool has stretched as much as it can to contain the stool and the body is not registering for the need to defecate. This leads to the passing of stool without realising it. It happens usually due to issues with the nerves communicating with the muscles connected to bowel movements.
If one is suffering from faecal incontinence symptoms and looking for an effective treatment, they can get in touch with best Fecal Incontinence Treatment Doctors in Hyderabad at Sree Nandaka Advanced Surgical Centre. At the hospital, the treatment for this condition is provided by a team of expert and experienced doctors.
Causes and Risk Factors of Fecal Incontinence
Fecal incontinence can be caused by the following reasons:
- Damage of the muscles involved in bowel movement- The injury to anal sphincter muscles at the time of vaginal childbirth can make it difficult for the rectum to hold stool. Moreover, surgery in the rectal or anal area can also lead to muscle damage that causes fecal incontinence.
- Damage of the nerves involved in signalling muscles for bowel movement- An injury to nerves that controls the movement of anal sphincter muscles or sense stool in the rectum can cause fecal incontinence. The conditions that can lead to nerve damage are stroke, childbirth, repeated straining during bowel movements, diabetes, spinal cord injury, chronic constipation, and multiple sclerosis.
- Chronic constipation- Repeated bouts of constipation can weaken the rectal and anal muscles. The straining during bowel movement can lead to nerve damage, further causing fecal incontinence. Most constipated patients experience fecal incontinence because of the liquid portion of their stool seeping around from the solid stool that has gotten stuck in the rectum.
- Hemorrhoids- These are swollen rectal veins that do not allow complete closing of the anus, thereby causing the stool to leak out.
- Diarrhea- Loose or runny stool cannot stay in the rectum for long and so can cause or worsen fecal incontinence.
- The inability of the rectum to stretch to accommodate poop- If the storage capacity of the rectum is lost because of its scarring or getting stiff, the extra stool can leak out. This happens due to surgery, inflammatory bowel disease, or radiation therapy.
- Pelvic organ prolapses- This happens because of weakened pelvic muscles that hold pelvic organs- rectum, uterus, vagina, and bladder. A rectal prolapse occurs when the rectum slips into the anus while a rectocele occurs due to slipping of the rectum onto the vagina’s back wall. Both of these prolapses can result in fecal incontinence.
These conditions often cause discomfort to the affected individual and at Sree Nandaka Advanced Surgery, the Best Fecal Incontinence Hospital in Hyderabad one can get these conditions treated effectively and achieve a healthy and improved quality of life with advanced treatments.
The factors that increase one’s chances of developing fecal incontinence include:
- Being old- Fecal incontinence is more common in adults aged above 65 years.
- Being a female- Fecal incontinence can be a childbirth complication or can be a result of menopausal hormonal replacement therapy.
- Conditions that lead to muscle or nerve damage or cause tissue scarring- These include Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Dementia, Multiple Sclerosis, Type 2 Diabetes, Stroke, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome.
Symptoms of Fecal Incontinence
Some people experience leakage of stools when they have diarrhea, but in the case of fecal incontinence, this is an ongoing experience. The signs of fecal incontinence include:
- Leakage of poop while passing bowel gas
- Leakage of stool while performing any physical activity
- An urge to defecate but not being able to reach the toilet on time
- Having poop soiling the underwear after regular bowel movements
- Entire loss of control of bowel movement.
If you are suffering from above mentioned signs of fecal incontinence, then pay a visit at Sree Nandaka Advanced Surgical Centre for an effective Fecal Incontinence Treatment Near Me in Hyderabad.
Diagnosis of Fecal Incontinence
For diagnosis of fecal incontinence, one can consult a gastroenterologist or colorectal surgeon in Hyderabad at Sree Nandaka Advanced Surgical Centre. The diagnosis involves physical and rectal examination, reviewing the patient’s complete medical history, and looking at the patient’s symptoms. To determine the reason behind the stool leakage, some diagnostic tests are ordered. These include:
- Anorectal manometry- It is performed to test the strength of anal sphincter muscles including how well they coordinate with the rectum to control bowel movements.
- Endorectal ultrasound or MRI- It is done to check for any damage or abnormalities in the structure of anal sphincter muscles and surrounding tissue.
- Balloon expulsion test- It is done alongside anorectal manometry if chronic constipation is the suspect for fecal incontinence. It even checks on how well the anal sphincter muscles and rectum are working to pass stool.
- Anal sphincter electromyography- It helps determine if nerve damage is the reason behind not proper working of anal sphincter muscles and even examines the coordination between the anal muscles and rectum.
- Pudendal nerve terminal motor latency test- It is done to measure the working of the pudendal nerve, which is responsible for controlling anal sphincter muscles.
- Defecography- This test involves taking X-ray or MRI images to see the working of organs and muscles involved in holding and passing of stool.
- Endoscopy- It involves inserting a scope fitted with a camera through the anus to check for anything unusual in the lower digestive tract causing fecal incontinence.
- Blood/stool test- This is done to check for infection-causing fecal incontinence.
Fecal Incontinence Treatment or Management
Fecal incontinence is treatable with medications, therapies, or surgery; depending upon the cause and severity of the condition. Lifestyle modifications like dietary changes can help manage the condition.
At Sree Nandaka Advanced Surgical Centre, we have a top-notch specialist team who can take the best care of people suffering from fecal incontinence.
- Exercise and training- For better control of bowel movements, the patient can go for bowel training, kegel exercises, and biofeedback.
- Medications- The patient may be recommended with antidiarrheal drugs or medications to treat constipation such as bulk laxatives, enemas, or suppositories.
- Fecal Incontinence Surgery in Hyderabad - These include sphincteroplasty (for sewing together of anal sphincter muscles and tightening of anal opening); implantation of the artificial anal sphincter (in case of damaged anal sphincter muscle); sacral nerve stimulation (with the help of implantable device sending mild electrical pulses to the nerves in the lower back that affects the sphincter, bladder, and pelvic floor muscles); antegrade colonic enema surgery (for daily enema); and colostomy (for stool collection in a pouch surgically attached to the abdomen).
Consult the experts at Sree Nandaka Advanced Surgical Centre to get more details on benefits and cost on Fecal Incontinence Laser Treatment/ Surgery in Hyderabad.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What if fecal incontinence is left untreated?
If fecal incontinence is left untreated, it may lead to complications like emotional distress and irritation of the skin around the anus. The skin may even show ulcers.
2. Can I prevent fecal incontinence?
Some causes of fecal incontinence are preventable like straining during bowel movements, constipation, and diarrhoea. You must eat a dietary fibre-rich diet, drink enough fluids, and exercise regularly to avoid constipation. For controlling diarrhoea, eliminating or treating the cause of diarrhoea like intestinal infection can help. Moreover, you must not repeatedly strain during bowel movements to avoid the weakening of anal sphincter muscles or damaged nerves that causes fecal incontinence.
3. How should I care for myself while living with fecal incontinence?
If you are living with fecal incontinence in Hyderabad, you must protect your skin that has got irritated with fecal leakage. For skin protection, you should wipe the anal area with moist towelettes that are chemical and fragrance-free, and be sure to pat dry the area after every bowel movement; use barrier creams; and wear breathable underwear. Also, it is equally important to take care of your mental health and prioritise your social life.The experts at Sree Nandaka Advanced Surgical Centre can help you manage the conditions and live a healthy life again. With the treatment you can get rid of these painful symptoms and can live your life freely. Consult now if you want more details and fecal incontinence treatment cost in Hyderabad
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