Bowel incontinence is the inability to control one's bowel movements. This condition may be caused by chronic constipation, rectal prolapses, damage to the sphincter muscle and various other medical conditions. To treat bowel incontinence, doctors first need to identify the cause of the incontinence.
Instructions
1. Get the proper diagnosis from your physician or specialist. Tell the doctor all the medications you take because certain medication can cause this condition. You may have to take a series of diagnostic tests to identify the cause of your condition (see Resources).
2. Take the medication prescribed by the doctor. If the bowel incontinence is due to diarrhea then antidiarrheal medication, codeine or other medications may be prescribed. The temporary use of laxatives or stool softeners may be necessary if the incontinence occurs because of chronic constipation.
3. Make the necessary dietary changes to treat bowel incontinence. If you suffer from chronic constipation then drink plenty of fluids and avoid foods that can constipate you. Add high- fiber foods to the diet and avoid alcohol and coffee if the condition is due to diarrhea.
4. Get treatment for fecal impaction as this may be a contributing factor for the incontinence. You have to see a doctor for treatment of this condition and to prevent further episodes you should also change your diet as in Step 3.
5. Use bowel training techniques to develop a regular bowel movement pattern. Bowel training can include therapy called anorectal biofeedback. This therapy uses exercise to strengthen the rectal muscles.
6. Have surgery to treat bowel incontinence when this is the only option for your condition. Many different surgical procedures exist to correct this condition. Some of these are rectal sphincter repair, sacral stimulation and colostomy (see Resources).
Tags: bowel incontinence, chronic constipation, this condition, treat bowel, identify cause