Fecal Incontinence Causes

What Causes Fecal Incontinence?

There are several causes of fecal incontinence.^[15] You have control over some of these causes and your doctor may be able to treat your particular situation. Always discuss incontinence with your doctor.

• Constipation. Oddly enough, constipation is the most common cause of fecal incontinence. Hard stools cause the muscles of your rectum to stretch and weaken over time. Hard stools can also damage nerves in the area. Eventually, those muscles and nerves will no longer be able to prevent leaks.

• Diarrhea. Loose stools are hard to control and may cause fecal incontinence.

• Muscle damage. Damage to the muscles of the anal sphincter (the muscles in the anus that prevent loss of stool or feces) can result in incontinence. This sort of damage may occur during childbirth, especially if you have an episiotomy (the muscles between the vagina and anus are cut) or forceps are used for delivery.

• Nerve damage. Damage to nerves that control the anal sphincter can cause incontinence. This damage can occur during childbirth and from repeated straining during bowel movements, spinal cord injury and stroke. In addition, diseases can damage these nerves. Such diseases include diabetes and multiple sclerosis.

• Loss of storage in the rectum. Normally, the rectum stretches to hold stool or feces. If the rectum is scarred from surgery, radiation treatment or inflammatory bowel disease (for example, Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis), then the rectum can't hold as much stool and it leaks out.

• Surgery. Surgery to treat hemorrhoids or for other reasons can cause damage that may result in incontinence.

• Rectal cancer. Cancers of the anus and rectum can cause fecal incontinence if muscles or nerves in the area are damaged.

• Other conditions. Distortions of the rectum can cause incontinence. This distortion can happen when the rectum drops down into the anus (rectal prolapse) or if the rectum protrudes into the vagina. In addition, hemorrhoids may prevent closure of the anus leading to incontinence.

• Loss of muscle strength with age. With time, the muscles and ligaments (fibrous tissue that connects bones to other bones) that support the pelvis weaken, which may lead to incontinence.

• Chronic laxative abuse. Extensive use of laxatives can lead to incontinence.