Faeces incontinence

Faeces incontinence (.: Incontinentia alvi, intestinal incontinence, anorectal incontinence, anal incontinence ) is the inability to hold back bowel movements or gases at will.

It affects people of all age groups, but is more frequent with people of higher age. The causes of faeces incontinence can be versatile and several factors must come together to cause faeces incontinence. If only one of the mechanisms for the control of bowel movement fails, this is usually balanced by so-called compensation mechanisms. In addition, subjective impressions play a role. The following causes can trigger faeces incontinence:

• age-caused incontinence
• apoplexy
• Morbus Alzheimer
• Multiple Sclerosis
• brain tumour
• Paraplegia (Tetraplegia)
• Spina bifida aperta
• Multiple Sklerose
• Haemorrhoid-OP (because sensitive skin of the intestinal tract is removed)
• Diarrhoea
• Rectum prolapse (prolapse of the sensitive intestinal skin to the outside)
• large intestine inflammation(Colitis)
• benign and malign tumours, tumour-OP
• fistula fission
• perineal tear during childbirth (if also the sphincter muscle is affected)
• Infiltrating abscess
• pelvic floor lowering (frequent symptom of age due to connective tissue weakness and reduction of pelvic floor muscle, surgery of the uterus)
• Hyperextension through obstipation
• Congenital dysplasia (Anal atresia)
• Morbus Crohn

Medicine or psychological disorders can also be cause of faeces incontinence

Source and further information: Wikipedia 2007