What is Normal?
- having a poo as often as 3 times a day to 3 times a week
- poo should be moist and well formed (not too hard and lumpy and not too soft and mushy)
- It should be easy to pass without straining or pain
- you should feel empty afterwards
Loss of bowel control
This may show in a variety of ways:
- Leakage of stool: symptoms involve staining in pants or leakage on way to toilet
- Leakage of mucus: passive leakage in pants without noticing
- Inability to control flatus: flatus escapes easily with movement
- Urgency of stool: having to run to toilet as soon as you feel the urge and sometimes without making it in time
- Difficulty cleaning: having to go back and wipe repeatedly
Further Defecation Disorders
Chronic Constipation
Symptoms can be:
- You have to strain a lot to poo
- Your poos are hard and lumpy
- You feel unfinished after having a poo
- You feel bloated, stomach pain and discomfort
- Your poo less often than is usual for you
In some cases:
- You may have a bad taste in your mouth, bad breath, decreased appetite, lethargy.
- Passing foul smelling wind
- Leaking of liquid or loose stools. When large stools get stuck and block the bowel, liquid stool can pass the blockage.
Causes of constipation
- Not drinking enough fluid
- Not eating enough fibre
- Putting off going to the toilet
- Not moving enough and spending long periods of time sitting or lying in bed
- Not exercising
- A side effect of medication
- Changing your daily routine or diet
- Some neurological problems such as Parkinson’s Disease and Multiple Sclerosis
Anismus
- Excessive tension in the sphincter muscle
Obstructive Defecation
- Difficult emptying the bowel, which may or may not be associated with constipation.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS
Self Help Tips
- Ensure you drink plenty of fluid to avoid constipation (1.5 - 2 litres of fluid)
- Caffeine, fizzy drinks and sweeteners may irritate your bowel making you more loose
- Don’t ignore the need to empty your bowel
- When you need to go to the toilet, try not to panic and rush to get there
- Sitting position on the toilet is really helpful
- Ideally knees should be higher that hips
- Lean forward with a straight back
- Avoid straining
- Do not hold your breath, try to breath out as you let go
- Using a clean hand, supporting underneath (on your perineum) or use a finger or thumb against the back wall of the vagina, can be helpful to fully emptying your back passage
- Train your Pelvic floor muscles and get them working when you feel the urge
- Elasticated waist bands are easier to manage in a hurry