Treatment of Bowel/Fecal Incontinence
There are many different treatment options. The treatment will depend on the root cause of why you as a patient are experiencing fecal/bowel incontinence. In most cases, a treatment plan is a multi-modal approach to medicine. Treatments include pharmacological agents, lifestyle changes, and other therapies, which may include surgery.
If the root cause of fecal incontinence is secondary to diarrhea, then anti-diarrheal medications or anti-spasmodic medications can offer great benefits. These medications are over the counter and commonly referred to as Imodium or Lomotil. If the reason the fecal incontinence is occurring is secondary to chronic constipation, then laxative may be beneficial to provide a regulated gut. Injectable bulking agents, that are injected directly into the anal canal, can be used to prevent fecal incontinence.
Lifestyle changes include diet changes and exercise changes. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids and consume a diet that is heavy in fiber. This can help regulate your gut and maintain an appropriate balance in the natural flora within the intestines, creating a more regulated system in which regular, soft bowel movements occur. Performing exercises that will focus on strengthening the pelvic floor muscles can help to prevent fecal incontinence. This training can help the patient to contract those muscles when they feel they are going to suffer fecal incontinence. Then, they can release the contraction of the muscles when they are able to get to the bathroom and have a bowel movement.
Bowel training is another method that can help to create a routine in which there is no anxiety about accessing the bathroom at a certain time. Sacral nerve stimulation can help to alleviate fecal incontinence. The sacral nerves are the nerves responsible for innervation of the rectal and anal sphincter muscles. Sacral nerve stimulation is an actual implanted electrical stimulator device that provides impulses to the sphincter muscles to create stronger muscles within the bowel. This is usually a last resort modality treatment.
In women, a vaginal balloon may be used to create pressure within the rectal area, allowing for fewer episodes of fecal incontinence. This is a new treatment modality and must be studied further prior to recommendation. Surgeries are also available for those cases of fecal incontinence that cannot be alleviated with just routine measures. It is important for you to speak with a surgeon to determine if there are any specific procedures available that will address your individual concerns regarding fecal incontinence.