Fecal incontinence is characterized by involuntary loss or inability to control the elimination of the contents of the intestine, made up of feces and gases, through the anus. Although this situation does not have serious health consequences, it can cause embarrassment and anxiety.
Fecal incontinence generally affects the elderly over 70 years of age, although it can also occur in young people and children, and can be caused mainly by changes in the functioning of the muscles that form the rectum and sphincter of the anus, caused by childbirth., surgery or defects in the anatomy of the region, but it can also be triggered by diarrhea, constipation, use of medications or neurological diseases, for example.
Treatment for faecal incontinence is very important to improve the person's quality of life, being generally indicated by the coloproctologist, and includes corrections of eating habits, adjustments of medications that can worsen symptoms, physiotherapy exercises for reconditioning anal control and, in some cases, surgery.
What are the causes
Several changes in the physiology of the anus and rectum can cause incontinence, and more than one cause may be associated. Some of the main causes include:
- Defects in the muscles of the perineum caused by normal birth, surgeries or some trauma in the region; Changes in the nerves in the region, such as in diabetic neuropathy or other neurological diseases; Inflammation of the rectum mucosa, caused by infections or radiotherapy; Changes in consistency feces, both due to diarrhea and constipation; Existence of rectal prolapse or megacolon, caused by chagas disease, for example; Irritable bowel syndrome; Metabolic diseases, such as hyperthyroidism or diabetes; Use of medications, such as Metformin, Acarbose, antidepressants or laxatives.
In children over 4 years of age, fecal incontinence is also called encopresis, and may be associated with difficulties in controlling the functioning of the anal sphincter due to psychological causes, which may be linked to stress, fear or anguish, but it can also be caused by constipation, as the accumulation of dry stools in the intestine can cause loose stools to leak around the fecal accumulation. Learn how to identify and combat constipation in your child.
Main symptoms
Symptoms of faecal incontinence range from involuntary gas losses to the loss of large amounts of liquid or solid stools, which cause intense embarrassment, anxiety and decreased quality of life for the affected person.
Whenever one of these symptoms is present, the person should consult a coloproctologist to assess the problem and indicate the best treatment.
Watch the following video and learn how to identify these symptoms and how the treatment is done:
How the treatment is done
The treatment of fecal incontinence varies according to the cause and severity of the disease. The simplest problems can be treated by changing eating habits, such as increasing the consumption of fiber and fluids in the diet, as a way to regulate intestinal transit, in addition to decreasing alcohol, caffeine, fats and sugars in the diet. Learn more about what the diet should look like in fecal incontinence.
Physiotherapy and biofeedback exercises are important to recondition the pelvis muscles, as they increase strength and endurance, stimulate blood flow, nerve function, in addition to increasing body awareness.
In some situations, the use of constipating drugs, such as Loperamide, may be indicated. When there is no improvement with previous treatments, surgery may be indicated, which can correct the muscles that are injured, strengthen the muscles of the weakened anal canal, or even with the implant of an artificial anal sphincter, for example.
