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Sandra Kim Leong
Sandra Kim Leong provides free research and special reports in her newsletter on
Detox Diet.
If you suffer from bowel incontinence, you may want to keep it a secret from others. You feel that that your bowel incontinence problems are a source of shame and would prefer not to let others know. At its most severe, bowel incontinence can cause withdrawal, frustration, depression, and anger problems. The emotional impact of bowel incontinence can cause stress and loss of dignity. It is simply difficult to enjoy yourself in a social setting if you fear an involuntary loss of bowel control.
What you need to do first of all is to make an appointment with a physician. Get a proper diagnosis. Check if you need a specialist such as a proctologist, colorectal surgeon, or a gastroenterologist. These doctors specialize in medical conditions that affect the colon, anus, and rectum. Finding out exactly what is causing your bowel incontinence can lead you to getting the right treatment.
Bowel incontinence can cause physical discomfort as well as emotional discomfort. The skin surrounding the anus is delicate and prolonged. Repeated contact with stool can irritate the area. You may also suffer from itching, pain, and possibly sores. This will need medical treatment.
Treatment for bowel incontinence may start with changes in your diet. What you eat and drink has a direct impact on your bowel movements and their consistency. If fecal incontinence were caused by chronic constipation, your diet would need to include foods high in fiber that are not constipating and drinking more fluids. If diarrhea is causing the problem, a diet rich in fiber may also help by adding bulk to your stools. The fiber helps absorb the liquid from your bowel movements. Your doctor or a nutritionist can make suggestions as to how you can make changes to your diet to help alleviate your bowel incontinence symptoms.
Sometimes diet changes are not enough to take care of the problem. Your doctor may prescribe conventional medications to treat your fecal incontinence. If your problem is caused by diarrhea, you may be prescribed Imodium, which helps treat diarrhea. It is found in chewable tablets so you can take them any time without liquid to wash it down with. If the problem is caused by constipation, a mild laxative may be recommended to restore normal bowel movements and consistency. Your doctor can also recommend a drug that decreases the water content in your stools and decrease the spontaneous movement of your bowel. Alternatively, you may also seek an Ayurvedic doctor for some herbal remedies that can help deal with bowel incontinence problems.
It is possible to train your bowels, just as you can train your bladder. A bowel-training program and muscle exercises can help with bowel incontinence. Bowel training means teaching your bowels to move at specific times of the day. Your body will soon recognize the bowels need to move after a meal, when you first wake up, or right before you go to bed. This method is especially useful for children as they can sometimes be so absorbed in what they are doing that they forget to use the toilet. In consequence, they suffer from impacted bowels from not going when they need to and often enough.
Get more free tips about improving digestive health here.
Published by Sandra Kim Leong on August 30, 2007 08:37 PM
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