Bowel Movement—Bowel Incontinence

Also called: Encopresis, Fecal incontinence, Stool soiling

Bowel incontinence is the inability to control your bowels. When you feel the urge to have a bowel movement, you may not be able to hold it until you get to a toilet. Millions of Americans have this problem. It affects people of all ages – children and adults. It is more common in women and older adults. It is not a normal part of aging.

Causes include

• Constipation
• Damage to muscles or nerves of the anus and rectum
• Diarrhea
• Pelvic support problems

Treatments include changes in diet, medicines, bowel training, or surgery.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

• Bowel incontinence (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Encopresis (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Stool Diary – NIH (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) – PDF

Also called: BM, Feces, Poop, Stool

A bowel movement is the last stop in the movement of food through your digestive tract. Your stool passes out of your body through the rectum and anus. Another name for stool is feces. It is made of what is left after your digestive system (stomach, small intestine, and colon) absorbs nutrients and fluids from what you eat and drink.

Sometimes a bowel movement isn’t normal. Diarrhea happens when stool passes through the large intestine too quickly. Constipation occurs when stool passes through the large intestine too slowly. Bowel incontinence is a problem controlling your bowel movements. Other abnormalities with bowel movements may be a sign of a digestive problem.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

• Bloody or tarry stools (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Daily bowel care program (Medical Encyclopedia)
• External incontinence devices (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Fecal culture (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Fecal smear (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Stool guaiac test (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Stools – floating (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Stools – foul smelling (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Stools – pale or clay-colored (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Tenesmus (Medical Encyclopedia)