Restoring My Complexion

5 Treatments For Bowel Incontinence

22 February 2023 by Dylan Owens

Bowel incontinence is a medical condition that makes it difficult to control your bowel movements. Whether due to nerve damage or constipation, the condition can be quite embarrassing and make it tough to live a normal life. However, it may be possible to treat it.

Here are some common treatments for bowel incontinence that you should know about.

Diet Changes

If you suffer from bowel incontinence, your doctor may first advise you to make changes to your diet. For example, if your bowel incontinence is due to diarrhea, you may want to avoid eating foods that cause your diarrhea in the first place, such as spicy or fatty foods. If constipation is the reason for your incontinence, you may want to add more fiber to your diet.

Kegel Exercises

Performing regular kegel exercises can strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, which may improve bowel incontinence. Pelvic floor muscles can weaken for a number of different reasons, such as constipation, surgery, and childbirth. If you perform kegel exercises a few times every day, you may be able to prevent your stool from leaking out.

Medication

Medications are another common way to treat bowel incontinence. For instance, your doctor may recommend taking Pepto Bismol if diarrhea is causing your incontinence. If over-the-counter medications do not work, your doctor may prescribe a stronger medication to treat bowel incontinence.

Absorbent Pads

If you have fairly mild bowel incontinence, you may consider wearing absorbent pads. If you have to be out for a long period of time, putting these pads inside your underwear can make you more comfortable and help you avoid a potentially embarrassing situation.

Surgery

If conventional methods of treating bowel incontinence do not work, you may want to talk to your doctor about surgery. There are several surgeries that can treat bowel incontinence and help you live a normal life again. For example, if you tore your anal sphincter during childbirth and have fecal incontinence because of it, your doctor may suggest undergoing sphincteroplasty. Your doctor can go over the benefits and risks of each type of surgery and help you make an informed decision.

Although living with bowel incontinence is not easy, you may not have to deal with it forever. There are several treatments available for this medical condition. If you currently suffer from bowel incontinence, you should make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible to discuss your options.

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