What is Faecal Incontinence? If you are unable to control a liquid stool (diarrhoea) or a solid motion, then you have faecal incontinence. This may be a daily ...HomeBowelBowelConditionsFaecalincontinenceFaecalincontinenceFaecalincontinenceorbowelincontinence ismorecommonthanyouwouldthink.Unfortunately,itisa subjectwhichisstillnotasopenlytalkedaboutasitshouldbe.Bowelincontinence affectsover53millionpeopleinEuropemakingitmoreprevalentthanmanywell-knowndiseasessuchasasthmaordiabetes.WhatisFaecalIncontinence?Ifyouareunabletocontrolaliquidstool(diarrhoea)orasolidmotion,thenyouhavefaecalincontinence.Thismaybeadailyproblemorhappenfromtimetotime.Youmayalsoexperienceinvoluntarypassageorlossofwind.WhatCanCauseFaecalIncontinence?Thereareseveralcausesoffaecalincontinenceandsomearemorecommonthanothers.Themostcommoncauseoffaecalincontinenceisdamagetooneorbothoftheanalsphinctermuscles. Causesofanalsphincterdamagecanincludetearstotheanalsphincterduringchildbirth.Theexternalanalsphincterisresponsiblefordelayingbowelemptyingoncetherectumfillsandtheurgetoemptythebowelisfelt. Peoplewithaweakordamagedexternalsphinctermuscletypicallyexperienceurgencyandiftheycan’treachatoiletintime,theybecomeincontinent.Peoplewithadamagedinternalanalsphincterusuallycomplainof‘passivesoiling’.Softstoolorsmallpelletsofstooljustleakoutwithoutthepersonrealisingitishappening.Othercommoncausesare;Constipationcanbebothacauseoffaecalincontinenceandalsoasymptomoffaecalincontinence.YoucanbecomeconstipatedifyouhavedifficultyemptyingyourbowelDiarrhoeacanbeacauseoffaecalincontinenceandalsoasymptomoffaecalincontinence.Diarrhoeacanbechronic,i.e.on-goingandreoccurring,oracute,i.e.suddenandunexpectedPeoplewithdisorderssuchasParkinson’sdisease,MultipleSclerosis,Stroke,spinalcordinjuryandAlzheimer’scansometimesdevelopfaecalincontinencethatisassociatedwiththeirillnessSomemedicationslikeantibioticscancauseloosestools/diarrhoeawhichmaymakesymptomsworsePeoplewithinflammatoryboweldiseaseswhichcancausediarrhoeaandanurgentneedto