Accidental bowel leakage is an issue for which your physician near the Chicago, IL suburbs has a solution

While light bladder leakage and urinary incontinence are conditions that may be discussed from time to time, very rarely do we hear about accidental bowel leakage. From the Chicago suburbs of IL to the southernmost and westernmost areas of the United States, however, millions of individuals suffer with this major problem. As many as one in five people may experience either occasional fecal leakage or may accidentally express small amounts of fecal matter on a persistent basis.

Accidental bowel leakage may actually involve either the unexpected passing of stool or of mucus. Professional medical literature does refer to this passing as fecal incontinence. For the men and women who experience the leakage of liquid or solid stool, or mucus, however, finding the right terminology can be somewhat difficult. Accidental bowel leakage may be called bowel incontinence, a “leaky” bowel, or anal leakage. Understandably, there is really no term for this condition that makes it comfortable to discuss, and many people go years without talking with their physician about their diminished quality of life.

Why does accidental bowel leakage occur?

Accidental bowel leakage is something that most people assume may occur only during childbirth. Looking at the statistics, however, we can see that there are many additional factors linked to this condition:

• Obesity
• Smoking
• Nervous system disorders such as Parkinson’s Disease
• Menopause
• Old age
• Urinary incontinence
• Prostate therapy
• Gallbladder procedure or removal
• Irritable bowel syndrome

While a man or woman affected by accidental bowel leakage may wish to keep this problem to themselves, discussion with a compassionate medical team such as that at Partners in Pelvic Health North Shore Urogynecology can lead to the ideal solution for this problem. Dr. Sanjay Gandhi and his team have spent years working with patients to help them achieve a better quality of life. We have discussed a number of uncomfortable situations with understanding and respect, finding that our patients’ dignity is of the utmost importance.

When dealing with accidental bowel leakage, we may determine that a body liner is the best way for a patient to regain confidence to live actively. Body liners are similar to those designed for bladder leakage, but designed specifically to accommodate the anatomy of the rectal area. We are happy to discuss this form of management with our patients in detail. Contact one of our conveniently located offices to schedule your consultation today.