Fecal Incontinence in Chandler & Scottsdale, AZ

Fiber-rich foods like fruits, green vegetables, whole grains, and beans should be a part of your diet if you experience fecal incontinence. Starchy foods like applesauce, whole grain bread, broth, and bananas can also help.

Pelvic floor physical therapy and exercises can help strengthen the pelvic floor and anal sphincter muscles. These treatments are often combined with diet changes and/or medications.

Increasing fiber or starch in your diet will help absorb water in the intestines to firm up bowel movements. Fiber-rich or starchy foods include bananas, rice, applesauce, lentils, chia seeds, and nuts.

A gastroenterologist or colorectal surgeon can diagnose bowel incontinence and offer effective treatments. Our team of colorectal surgeons specializes in advanced non-surgical treatment options for this condition.

Caffeine has stimulant properties and therefore may worsen symptoms of fecal incontinence for some people.

Yes. Adult diapers provide a quick solution for soiling, and they are very easy to use. They can be purchased at many pharmacies or general merchandise stores.

Fecal incontinence can be caused by damage to the muscles or nerves in the rectum, hemorrhoids, or inflammatory bowel disease. Muscle damage may be associated with age, which is why many people are over the age of 65.

The sudden urge to poop and the inability to control bowel movements are often the first signs of bowel incontinence. This happens daily and can sometimes result in leakage when passing gas or at random.

Bowel incontinence most often requires treatment since it typically does not resolve on its own. Sometimes, diet changes like a high-fiber diet and drinking more water can improve symptoms.

Greasy foods, spicy foods, products containing fructose or artificial sweeteners, caffeine, alcohol, and dairy have all been linked to bowel incontinence. Different people may be affected by different foods.

Surveys indicate that bowel incontinence affects between 2-7% of the general population, although the true incidence may be much higher since many people are hesitant to discuss this problem with a healthcare provider.

Dietary modifications, pelvic floor exercises, and bowel retraining techniques, with guidance from a colorectal surgeons, should help stop fecal incontinence.

Older adults, women who have had vaginal childbirth, those with Crohn’s disease or IBS, and those who suffer from stroke, MS, and Parkinson’s disease are all at risk for fecal incontinence.

Absolutely not, but age can weaken the muscles or nerves, which leads to incontinence.

Some of the most common symptoms of fecal incontinence include not being able to hold your stool until reaching a bathroom, leaking stool, and frequent accidents during physical activities.

There are multiple ways to prevent fecal incontinence, including maintaining a diet rich in fiber, drinking plenty of fluids, avoiding straining when going to the bathroom, managing underlying conditions that could lead to incontinence, and practicing pelvic floor exercises.

Some of the foods to avoid when you have fecal incontinence include spicy and fatty foods, caffeine, alcohol, artificial sweeteners, and, if you’re lactose intolerant, dairy.