Bowel Incontinence is when there is excretion of feces involuntarily. Children and well as adults can suffer from it. There are more women sufferers from bowel incontinence. Although it is more common in older people than in younger people, it is not a normal part of the ageing process. Since it is a cause for considerable embarrassment, many individuals who suffer from incontinence usually do not like talking about it, not even to their own physician. But it is very important that a sufferer should talk to his physician immediately as today there is very effective treatment available.

Some common causes of bowel incontinence are:

. Diarrhea - This is more a temporary problem than a permanent problem, as it is easier to control solid fecal matter than to control loose fecal matter.

. A damaged anal sphincter muscle - The sphincter muscle helps to keep the fecal matter inside, when this muscle is damaged it is unable to control or is not strong enough to control its action. As a result there is leakage. A common cause for this type of damage occurs during child birth and also surgery for hemorrhoids.

. Constipation - Constipation causes the muscles to weaken as a result of stretching of the muscle. This then leads to incontinence.

. Storage capacity loss in the rectum - a number of reasons can cause scarring causing stiff and less elastic rectum walls. This causes the inability of the rectum to stretch and therefore cannot hold fecal matter. As a result incontinence occurs.

. Dysfunctional pelvic floor - Pelvic floor abnormalities such as impaired anal sensation, anal canal pressure decrease, prolapsed rectum, weakness of the pelvic floor all can lead to bowel incontinence. The main cause of this problem is attributed to childbirth.

. Nerve damage to the anal sphincter - The nerves in the anal sphincter is responsible for sensing the presence of fecal matter in the rectum. If these nerves are damaged, the anal sphincter muscle doesn't respond properly and then there is leakage. Damage to the anal sphincter too can be caused by childbirth and also by diabetes.

How should bowel incontinence be treated?

. Changes in diet, to prevent constipation or diarrhea, which would involve avoiding substances like coffee, tea or chocolates, which contain caffeine. These foods tend to relax the anal sphincter muscle. Some people find that a high fiber diet helps while on the other hand some people that a low fiber diet helps. Whichever is applicable should be followed therefore.

. Pelvic floor exercises.

. Vitamin supplements for chronic diarrhea.

. Smaller meals consumed more frequently will help.

. Bowel training - try to have a regular bowel movement every day. This can be extremely helpful.

. Medications - do not use any over the counter drugs. Always seek your physician's advice. He may prescribe a laxative or an anti diarrhea drug.

. Surgery to replace the anal muscle sphincter and repairing other damage.

Some of the tests done to determine bowel incontinence are:

. A physical examination of the patient.

. Ultrasound scan - Here a scan is done enabling the areas inside of the body to be viewed especially the anal sphincter structure.

. Examination of the anus internally by finger. The rectum's function and sensitivity and the tightness and capability of responding to signals of the anal sphincter are checked using anal manometry.

. Tests for any nerve damage also known as anal electromyography.

. Tests to see the stool retention capability as well as the stool retention capacity of the rectum and also stool evacuation capability.

. Proctosigmoidoscopy - a process which enables the doctor to observe the inside of the rectum for any tumors, scar tissue or inflammation.