Coping with faecal incontinence

Question: Dad has started to leak small amounts of loose stools almost daily. He says its just a bit of diarrhoea but mum tells me he has been soiling his clothes for a long time now. We now think he is avoiding leaving the house out of fear of having an accident. What could be causing his faecal incontinence? Is there anything that can be done?

Answer: Good bowel habits are important for everyone, not just for older people. Bowel management is an important factor for quality of life.  As in your dad’s case, it’s probably affecting his socialising, perhaps healthy exercise levels too.

The stress of hiding faecal incontinence is often underestimated, as is the effect on people’s confidence and self-esteem.

Sometimes, loose stools or diarrhoea can appear just that, whereas in reality, this symptom is masking an underlying problem of an impacted (blocked) bowel. The loose or watery material is simply finding its way around a hard bowel blockage of faecal matter. This needs serious attention – a proper bowel management routine devised by a doctor or CNA.

Weak pelvic floor muscles may also be an issue.  This area of the body is like a “hammock” that stretches from the pubic bone at the front to the coccyx (tail-bone) at the back, important for bladder and bowel control. Pelvic floor muscle exercises can help strengthen these muscles.

www.continence.org.au

The National Continence Helpline 1800 33 00 66

 
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