Intestinal Health in Texas
Dr. Nsikak Umoh is the board-certified doctor/surgeon at The Texas Colon and Pilonidal Clinic in The Woodlands and Cypress, TX. He wishes to discuss a subject that few people feel comfortable discussing: fecal incontinence.
What Is Fecal Incontinence?
Texas Colon and Pilonidal Clinic in Woodlands & Cypress, TX, explains that if you experience an inability to control your bowels and have frequent bowel leakage from the rectum, you undoubtedly have fecal incontinence.
Depending on the problem, you could have random and occasionally minor stool leakage, or perhaps you can't control your bowels at all and have significant issues with incontinence.
Our doctor can uncover the primary cause of your fecal incontinence and create a treatment plan individualized to your needs. When you schedule a consultation, our doctor will take the following steps.
- Identify the primary cause
- Create an individualized treatment plan
- Medically manage your condition
- Present possible surgical interventions involving anal sphincter repair, medication, dietary changes, and exercises
Types of Fecal Incontinence
Urge incontinence occurs when you know you need to have a bowel movement but cannot get to the bathroom in time. This type of incontinence involves weakened muscles controlling your bowel movements.
Passive incontinence occurs when your rectum can hold stool, but unfortunately, the nerves that communicate with your muscles do not communicate, and you pass the stool without realizing you did.
Symptoms of Fecal Incontinence
- Passing of stool with gas
- Inability to hold stool when physically active
- Feelings of needing to poop but can't make it to the bathroom in time
- Stool in underclothing after a bowel movement
- Losing all control of holding stool
Causes of Fecal Incontinence
The causes of fecal incontinence include diarrhea, constipation, muscle and nerve damage, controlling the ability to pass stool and prior surgery and procedures that can increase this risk.
When the muscles in the rectum lose elasticity to hold stool, you experience fecal incontinence. The failure of the rectal muscle to stretch sufficiently is caused by scarring in the rectum from conditions and procedures such as Chron's disease or radiation therapy.
Weakened pelvic muscles occur when the pelvic organ falls or prolapses and the organs sag or slip out of place into the anus. When the rectum slips into the vaginal wall, a rectocele occurs, and fecal incontinence follows. Fecal incontinence is embarrassing and dramatically decreases the quality of life.
Help for Fecal Incontinence
If you are searching for a quality doctor/surgeon whose expertise is intestinal health, give Dr. Umoh a call at (832) 663-0037 at the Texas Colon and Pilonidal Clinic in The Woodlands & Cypress, TX, and schedule your appointment for a consultation regarding fecal incontinence. If you have other intestinal problems, our doctor can help you.