Living with Bowel Control Problems
Living with a bowel control problem can be upsetting. You may feel ashamed and alone. But there are steps you can take to manage your bowel control problem.
- How do I cope with my bowel control problem?
- How are bowel control problems treated?
- What should I do about anal discomfort?
How do I cope with my bowel control problem?
Try these everyday tips:
- Carry a bag with cleanup supplies and a change of clothes with you when leaving the house.
- Find public restrooms before you need one.
- Use the toilet before leaving home.
- If you think you might have a loss of bowel control, wear disposable underwear.
- If you lose bowel control frequently, use a fecal deodorant—a pill that you chew or swallow to reduce the smell of stool and gas. These pills are available without a prescription. Your doctor can help you choose which type is best for you.
- When you have to travel or attend business or social gatherings, use medicines that help control diarrhea.
- While you are undergoing medical treatment, wear absorbent pads or disposable underwear. The best pads and underwear are those that aren’t bulky and don’t make noise when you walk.
You can also talk with your health care provider and contact professional or patient-advocacy groups for information and support. See Links to Other Organizations.
How are bowel control problems treated?
Talk with your health care provider to learn which of the following treatment options is best for you.
Medicines
If you have constipation, your health care provider may have you take laxatives to help soften stool and make it easier to pass. If your problems are caused by diarrhea, your health care provider may suggest medicines to control the diarrhea.
Pelvic Floor Exercises
Exercises that strengthen your pelvic floor muscles can help with bowel control. To do pelvic floor exercises, you squeeze and relax these muscles 50 to 100 times a day. The trick is finding the right muscles to squeeze. Your health care provider or a specially trained therapist can help make sure you’re doing the exercises the right way. Biofeedback therapy may help. Biofeedback therapy is painless and uses a machine to let you know when you are squeezing the right muscles.
Improved Toileting Habits
Training yourself to have bowel movements at certain times during the day—such as after meals—may help. It may take a while to develop a regular pattern, so don’t give up if it doesn’t work right away.
Surgery
Depending on the reason for your bowel control problem or how severe it is, your health care provider may recommend surgery. The most common type of surgery is called sphincteroplasty, which involves sewing back together the separated ends of a sphincter muscle torn by childbirth or another injury. Other types of surgery include placing an artificial sphincter, which is an inflatable cuff, around the anus and implanting a small pump beneath the skin to inflate or deflate the cuff.
What should I do about anal discomfort?
The skin around the anus is delicate and sensitive. Constipation and diarrhea or contact between skin and stool can cause pain or itching. Here are some things you can do to relieve discomfort:
- Wash with water. Gently wash the area with water, but not soap, after a bowel movement. Soap can dry out and irritate the skin, and so can rubbing with dry toilet paper. Alcohol-free wipes are a better choice.
- Air dry. Let the area air dry after washing. If you don’t have time, gently pat yourself dry with a clean cloth.
- Use a moisture-barrier cream. Use a cream that contains ingredients such as dimethicone—a type of silicone—that form a barrier between your skin and stool. Clean and dry the area before you apply the cream. Ask your health care provider what kind of cream to use.
- Try nonmedicated powders. Plain talcum powder or cornstarch may help relieve pain or itching.
- Use products with a wicking layer. If you use pads or disposable underwear worn in close contact with your skin, make sure they have a wicking layer. The wicking layer protects the skin by pulling moisture away from the skin and into the pad.
- Wear clothes and underwear that allow air to flow. Tight clothes and plastic or rubber underwear that block air can make skin problems worse. Clothes and underwear that allow air to flow help keep skin dry. Change soiled underwear as soon as you can.
For more information about living with bowel control problems, see Resources.
Page last updated: July 15, 2011
