Fecal Incontinence Treatment in Santa Ana, CA

Fecal incontinence refers to problems associated with bowel control, specifically the inability to restrict a bowel movement before reaching a restroom. Dr. Chung is a colorectal surgery specialist based in Santa Ana, CA, treating the greater Orange County area with expert-level colorectal care. He will diagnose your symptoms of fecal incontinence and discover the best treatment option for you. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, please give our colorectal clinic in Santa Ana a call at (714) 988-8690 today.

What Are the Risk Factors of Fecal Incontinence?

About 18 million adults in the United States have Fecal Incontinence with women being slightly more susceptible to it. If you have had any of the following conditions your risk of experiencing Fecal Incontinence can be increased:

• diarrhea
• constipation
• muscle damage or weakness
• nerve damage
• hemorrhoids
• Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

How is Fecal Incontinence Treated?

Once a correct diagnosis is made, approaches to successfully treat Fecal Incontinence can begin. Treatments may include one or a combination of the following:

Eating, Diet, and Nutrition

Since the food you eat affects stool consistency and how quickly it passes through the digestive system eating diet and nutrition are important.

• Eating the correct amount of fiber. Fiber adds bulk to stool and makes it softer and easier to control.
• Drinking sufficient fluids. Eight, 8-ounce glasses of liquid each day may help prevent constipation. Liquids with caffeine may cause diarrhea.
• Using a Food Diary
• Medication
• Bulk laxatives, such as Citrucel and Metamucil, to develop more regular bowel patterns may help. Antidiarrheal medicines such as loperamide or diphenoxylate may be recommended to slow down the bowels and help control the problem.

Pelvic Floor Exercises

Pelvic floor exercises may strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and improve bowel control. Additionally, Biofeedback therapy that uses sensors to tell if patients are using the correct muscles may also be helpful.

Bowel Training

Where constipation is involved, developing a regular bowel movement pattern can help relieve Fecal Incontinence.

Surgery

If fecal Incontinence fails to improve after other treatments are tried, or if it is caused by pelvic floor or anal sphincter muscle injuries, surgery may be an option. A Sphincteroplasty, the most common type of surgery used, can reconnect the separated ends of a sphincter muscle torn by childbirth or another injury.

Electrical Stimulation

Called sacral nerve stimulation, or neuromodulation, electrical stimulation of the nerves that pass through the lower back using an implanted battery-operated stimulator, can help control muscle reactions, reflexes, and sensations, and as a result, bowel incontinence.