Bowel control problems can interrupt your life in a very negative way and cause you to limit activities and interactions with others due to fear of untimely accidents. Symptoms in bowel incontinence, also known as chronic fecal incontinence include:
Frequent bowel accidents
Inability to resist the urge to go
Inability to feel when you need to go
Monitoring what and how much you eat due to fear of accidents
Using pads and other protective garments
Treatment Options
Meeting with a surgeon who specializes in bowel control problems will help you decide the treatment plan that is right for you. The most important step is to seek help and start the conversation. There are medical and surgical treatment options including:
Dietary Modification
Bowel Retraining
Medication
Bowel Control Therapy using an implanted stimulator
Anal sphincter surgery
Colostomy
Minimally Invasive Sacral Neuromodulation
This treatment is sometimes referred to as Interstim (trademark symbol). A small stimulator is implanted under the skin of the buttock with a lead wire that gently stimulates the sacral nerves. This stimulation can help to restore bowel function by normalizing
the communication between the brain and the bowel. Patients first undergo a trial period by having a simple outpatient procedure to determine if desired results can be achieved. If bowel control improves, the stimulator is permanently implanted.
To make an appointment with a specialist, call (833) 293-5936.
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