FECAL INCONTINENCE CAUSES |
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Fecal incontinence can result from a
wide variety of medical conditions, including childbirth-related
anal injuries, other causes of damage to the anus or rectum, and
nervous system problems.
Vaginal-delivery childbirth is a major cause of fecal incontinence.
In many cases, childbirth results in damage to the anal sphincter,
which is the ring of muscle that closes the anus and keeps stools
within the rectum until a person can find an appropriate opportunity
to defecate. Nerve injuries during childbirth may also be a factor
in some cases. An ultrasound study of first-time mothers found
sphincter injuries in 35%. About one-third of the injured women
developed fecal incontinence or an uncontrollable and powerful urge
to defecate (urgency) within six weeks of giving birth.
Childbirth-related incontinence is usually restricted to gas, but
for some women involves the passing of liquid or solid stools.
The removal of hemorrhoids by surgery or other techniques
(hemorrhoidectomies) can also cause anal damage and fecal
incontinence, as can more complex operations affecting the anus and
surrounding areas. Anal and rectal infections as well as Crohn's
disease can lead to incontinence by damaging the muscles that
control defecation. For some people, incontinence becomes a problem
when the anal muscles begin to weaken in midlife or old age.
Dementia, mental retardation, strokes, brain tumors, multiple
sclerosis, and other conditions that affect the nervous system can
cause fecal incontinence by interfering with muscle function or the
normal rectal sensations that trigger sphincter contraction and are
necessary for bowel control. One study of multiple sclerosis
patients discovered that about half were incontinent. Nerve damage
caused by long-lasting diabetes mellitus (diabetic neuropathy) is
another condition that can give rise to incontinence. |
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| FECAL INCONTINENCE RELATED ITEMS |
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