Nobody wants to talk about or even imagine it. But loss of bowel control — known as fecal incontinence — is a problem for millions of adults in the United States, especially women. It's socially isolating and takes away your dignity. You live in fear that you have stool in your pants and people can smell it. Some people won't even tell their doctors about it," says Dr.
Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. This is actually higher than previous numbers reported in other studies.
Your doctor will ask questions about your condition and perform a physical exam that usually includes a visual inspection of your anus. A probe may be used to examine this area for nerve damage. Normally, this touching causes your anal sphincter to contract and your anus to pucker. What you eat and drink affects the consistency of your stools. If constipation is causing fecal incontinence, your doctor may recommend drinking plenty of fluids and eating fiber-rich foods.
Incontinence can be an incredibly distressing experience for a resident. They might feel embarrassed, frustrated and even angry with themselves. After all, incontinence is seen as a loss of control - we are trained to know and recognise when we need to visit the bathroom from a young age - so it is totally normal and understandable to feel all these emotions. Help improve the quality of life of residents The right treatment and management can help care staff better plan their time, avoid handling leakages, unplanned washing of residents, reduce laundry and reduce skin breakdown.