Understanding Bowel Incontinence and How Pelvic Health PT Can Help

Fecal incontinence is a common but often embarrassing condition that affects many people. This is when a person is unable to control their bowel movements and may have accidents. While it may be an uncomfortable topic to discuss with others, it’s important to know that there is help available! In this blog post, I’ll explain what fecal incontinence is, some of the causes, and how pelvic floor physical therapy can help treat this issue.

What is Bowel Incontinence?

Bowel (fecal) incontinence is the inability to control bowel movements, which can lead to accidental leakage of stool or gas. Oftentimes, bowel incontinence can be the result of a weak pelvic floor. Fecal incontinence can be caused by a variety of factors, including muscle and nerve problems, constipation, and certain medical conditions. 

Causes of Fecal Incontinence

There can be several possible health conditions that can cause fecal incontinence. Common causes can include:

• Muscle and nerve problems: this includes damage to the muscles and nerves that control the anus and rectum
• Constipation: when stool becomes hard and difficult to pass, it puts extra pressure on the rectum
• Childbirth: after giving birth, women can experience damage to the muscles and nerves in the pelvic floor
• Medical conditions: there are some conditions that cause bowel incontinence, including diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• Aging: natural aging can cause the muscles in the pelvic floor to weaken

Symptoms to Look For

There are many symptoms, which can depend on the underlying cause. Some common symptoms of fecal incontinence to look for include:

• Accidental bowel leaks (which includes gas)
• Experiencing difficulty holding in gas or stool
• The need to rush to the bathroom
• Frequent constipation or diarrhea

Treatment of Fecal Incontinence

Fecal incontinence is typically treatable, and in a majority of cases, can be cured. Here are a few common options that can help treat bowel incontinence: 

• There are several medications available to treat constipation or diarrhea
• Lifestyle changes, including changing and maintaining a healthy diet while reducing stress
• Starting pelvic health physical therapy to create a program to strengthen the muscles in the pelvic floor 

At MOVE Athletics, we provide pelvic health physical therapy to help treat people experiencing bowel incontinence. Our emphasis is on the pelvic floor rehab components:

• Physical therapy to improve muscle strength and flexibility in the pelvic floor
• Pelvic floor muscle exercises to improve muscle tone and control
• Biofeedback to help you better understand and control your muscles

Guided by these three things, we work with many men and women to address fecal incontinence through pelvic floor physical therapy.

Pelvic Health PT to Improve Bowel Incontinence

Fecal incontinence can be a frustrating and embarrassing condition, but there is help available to address the issue. Working with a pelvic floor physical therapist at MOVE Athletics, you can regain control of your bowel movements. Together, we can work to find a treatment plan to strengthen the pelvic floor that is best for you. 

If you are experiencing fecal incontinence, give your friendly West Springfield physical therapists a call at (413) 259-0509 - we look forward to hearing from you!