Gas incontinence often accompanies people after 40-50 years of age. What is the reason for this condition, how to deal with it? The problem is not pleasant, but it is possible to fix it, you just need to know how. The following will describe the symptoms, causes and treatment of gas and fecal incontinence.
Forms and types of fecal and gas incontinence
Often, fecal incontinence joins the problems of gas incontinence. It is connected with the inability to control the state of the posterior sphincter.
Posterior sphincter insufficiency is divided into three degrees:
- The first degree is characterized by loss of control over the body's gas release. In this case, leakage of feces occurs as a result of attempts.
- Second degree, when with the release of gases, feces in a liquid state are also released. The allocation of liquid feces occurs involuntarily, before that the person does not feel the call to emptying.
- The third degree is the hardestcondition, as there is incontinence of gases, as well as feces, both liquid and solid.
In infancy up to 3 years, this condition is considered normal. This behavior of adults indicates a serious problem. It can manifest itself in the elderly, and urinary incontinence joins gas and fecal incontinence.
But there are also isolated cases when this happened as a result of severe stress or against the background of intestinal upset. Severe incontinence can occur with chronic diarrhea or when hemorrhoids fall out. Partial incontinence occurs when the tone of the posterior sphincter is lost during proctological operations or in old age when trying to hold feces.
What causes gas incontinence and fecal leakage
This condition may be due to congenital diseases or as a result of any disorders.
Thus, we can name the following causes of gas incontinence in both women and men:
- Anatomical defects, such as fistulas in the anus or other malformations.
- Organic factors, these can be birth trauma, trauma to the fecal system, organic damage to the spinal cord or brain.
- The causes of the psychogenic plan - psychoses, neuroses, hysteria, etc.
Incontinence of gases and feces can act as a symptom of various diseases, for example, catatonic syndrome, dementia, manic-depressive syndrome,epilepsy.
Anal incontinence (fecal and gas incontinence) will be treated depending on the underlying cause.
Symptoms of gas incontinence
Gas incontinence in women and men often develops in the body after 40 years.
Symptoms of this condition may include:
- Tough to contain the accumulated gases.
- Pain or itching around the anus.
- Fecal incontinence.
- Loud and frequent rumbling in the stomach.
- Appearance of dizziness and weakness.
- Fatigue.
- Worried about diarrhea or constipation.
- Belly swollen.
- The person becomes irritable, sometimes aggressive.
- Drowsiness and lethargy.
Incontinence Diagnosis
The doctor initially listens to the patient's complaints. A preliminary diagnosis is made, after which the person is sent for an additional study in order to identify the cause of gas incontinence and select the only correct treatment.
Diagnostic methods for fecal and gas incontinence:
- Manometry of the posterior sphincter evaluates its tone. This measures the pressure in the back hole at rest and tension.
- Endorectal ultrasonography reveals defects in the anus, the thickness of the inner and outer part of the sphincter.
- The volume-threshold sensitivity of the rectum is determined. If it does not correspond to the norm, then the act of defecation in a person is violated.
Treatments
Treatment for gas incontinence will depend on the cause of the problem. If it is harmless, then getting rid of the disease will not be difficult, but with serious pathologies, weeks, months, and sometimes years of therapy will be needed.
The degree of the disease also plays a big role, of course, at the initial stage it is easier to cope with the disease than to deal with the advanced stage. Therefore, therapy should be started as early as possible.
The basis of all medical procedures are three ways to get rid of the problem:
- surgery;
- medical method;
- non-drug therapy.
Surgical treatment
This method of treatment is carried out for injuries or sphincter defects. This operation is called plastic surgery. Everything will depend on the degree of damage to the sphincter. Such operations are divided into the following types:
- sphincteroplasty;
- sphincterogluteoplasty;
- Tirsch surgery (currently rare);
- Fierman operation.
If there is no damage to muscle fibers, then surgery is not performed.
Drug therapy
Such treatment will be effective in case of functional disorders of the excretory and digestion systems. Most often, doctors prescribe two groups of drugs:
- The first ones are aimed at restoring the functioning of the digestive and excretory system.
- Second group of medicinesable to influence the muscle tone of the anus.
In extreme cases, doctors prescribe tranquilizers if the patient is highly aroused.
Non-drug therapy
Anal incontinence is also treated with non-drug methods. There are many of them, and many are very effective. An exception may be the patient's psychological disorders, in which case even advanced techniques do not always bring a positive result.
It is worth considering the most popular non-drug ways to eliminate gas and fecal incontinence:
- Physical exercises according to the method of Kegel and Dukhanov, aimed at strengthening the muscles of the sphincter. In this case, a special tube is inserted into the anus, previously lubricated with petroleum jelly, after which the patient strains and relaxes the muscles of the anus. This gymnastics is carried out up to 5 times a day from 1 to 10-15 minutes. The course of therapy will depend on many indicators and lasts an average of 3 to 8 weeks. In combination with these exercises, gymnastics is carried out, aimed at strengthening the muscles of the buttocks and peritoneum.
- The Biofeedback technique will be effective in the initial stages of the disease, its essence is also to strengthen the muscles of the anus. In this case, an elastic balloon is inserted into the rear hole. It is necessary, by tension of the muscles of the anus, to compress and decompress. With this method, the doctor has the opportunity to see the entire process of the exercise on the computer monitor and adjust it.
- Electrical stimulation. Nerve endings of the posterior sphincteran electric current is applied. This contributes to the development of skills to control the process of defecation.
- Psychotherapy. The task of a psychotherapist is to develop a reflex in a sick person to perform an act of defecation at a certain time and in a certain place. The method is not always effective. Since mental disorders are a priori treated with difficulty.
The treatment of gas incontinence in women and men is the same.
Special Diet
Often increased flatulence is directly related to intestinal disorders. And it's all about nutritional deficiencies. Therefore, at the time of treatment, it is worth adhering to a special diet, which consists in limiting the intake of certain foods and including he althy food in the diet.
Forbidden foods:
- s alty and smoked dishes;
- lots of spices;
- chips, shop crackers;
- fried and fatty foods;
- buffets, etc.
Eat more of these foods:
- broths on vegetable broth;
- vegetables and fruits;
- lean meat;
- fermented milk products;
- fortified herbal teas and decoctions.
After the treatment is over, it is necessary to maintain the basic principles of nutrition and not return to the old junk food. Hygiene also plays an important role during this period, if leakage of feces is observed during gas incontinence, you need to wear diapers that change regularly.
Sometimes a person is embarrassed to go toa doctor with a problem of gas formation, when it is impossible to contain gases and stool, thereby further aggravating the situation. This problem brings a lot of inconvenience both physically and psychologically. You need to overpower yourself and set yourself up for the fact that this is a doctor whose task is to help you. It is worth fully covering the problem, telling when and for what reason it all started, this will largely determine the success in treatment. It is important to lead a he althy lifestyle. It is advisable to engage in gentle sports, without physical overload. You can just do daily jogging or walking.
