If you are one of the nearly 18 million U.S. adults who have problems controlling your bowels, or if you have problems with the consistency of your bowel movements (too firm, too soft), there are steps you can take to try to control your digestive health. Learn more about controlling your bowels with this quick debrief!
How Does Bowel Control Work?
Circular muscles, known as sphincters, hold the stool until it is ready to be released. Bowel control needs the muscles and nerves of the rectum and anus to work together. If they are not, there will be issues holding the stool in the rectum, letting the person know when the rectum is full, and releasing the stool when the person is prepared.
What Causes Poor Bowel Control?
There are a number of causes for poor bowel control. Either your diet could be better, your muscle control is lacking, you had an injury, or you have a disease affecting your GI tract. There are a variety of different combinations of disorders that could cause poor bowel control, and also ways you can treat it at home:
Eating Properly
What you eat is the number one thing that affects your stool. Make sure to control your diet by monitoring your fiber intake, drinking a sufficient amount of liquids, and monitoring the food you eat and the drinks you imbibe. Monitoring the effects of what you eat will help you tailor your diet to a more digestible diet!
Pelvic Floor Exercises
Pelvic Floor exercises are muscle routines and scheduling tactics to help you get your bowel movements in control. To learn more about pelvic floor exercises, visit our pelvic floor therapy page.
Bowel regimen for fecal incontinence & constipation:
- 64oz of water per day.
- If you drink any coffee, tea, cola, alcohol, etc., try to decrease the amount of intake of these and begin to drink more water.
- High fiber diet – need 25 – 30 grams of fiber per day.
- Examples of high fiber foods include:
- Wheat, Bran, and English Muffins
- Apples and Pears (with skin), Raspberries, Stewed Prunes
- Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Beans, Peas, Broccoli, Greens (collards, spinach, turnip greens)
- See fiber educational handouts.
- Start a fiber powder supplement (Metamucil, Benefiber, Citrucel, etc.) and increase the amount slowly.
- Start with 1 serving daily. This is to try and bulk/firm up your stool.
- Take 1-2 capsules of stool softener daily if needed (brand names: Colace, generic name: docusate sodium)
- For Fecal Incontinence:
- Take 1⁄2- 1 tablet of Imodium (generic name: loperamide) daily to decrease number of bowel movements
- Get scored tablets so they are easy to break in half
- Take 1⁄2- 1 tablet of Imodium (generic name: loperamide) daily to decrease number of bowel movements
- For Constipation:
- Take MiraLax – up to 3 doses daily
- Keep a food diary that can personally assist you in tracking any foods that may cause changes in your bowel movements such as diarrhea. Make sure to list portion size, the food, and what time of day the problem occurs.
- Eating less of these foods may just be the key to improving symptoms!
Need additional help with controlling your bowel movements? Contact Colorectal Surgery Associates of Kansas City to learn more about bowel control and pelvic floor therapy.
Get Your Rear in Gear Colorectal Run
Remember that coming up soon is the 2016 Get Your Rear in Gear Colorectal Run!
View more information on the Colon Cancer Coalition’s website: http://coloncancercoalition.org/portfolio/get-your-rear-in-gear-kansas-city/ – Make sure to register today and join us on September 11th!