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Bladder or Bowel Incontinence

Bladder or bowel incontinence is loss of control of your bladder or bowel movements. This means you have a problem holding in urine (pee) if you have bladder incontinence, or stool (poo) if you have bowel incontinence. These symptoms may be worrying, but you shouldn’t feel embarrassed. Our compassionate specialists have a lot of experience helping people with these issues.

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Symptoms

Other symptoms you may experience include:

Abdominal (stomach) pain and cramping
Bloating of your stomach and excessive wind
Frequent, urgent urination (more than 7 times in 24 hours)
Infrequent bowel movements (constipation and/or diarrhoea)

When should I seek urgent help?

You should seek help if your incontinence is frequent, severe, or if it’s sudden and accompanied by back pain. Incontinence can impact your quality of life and cause emotional or social distress but the sooner you seek help, the sooner you may feel relief from your symptoms.

Causes

1 in 3 people will experience bowel incontinence in their lifetime. You are most likely to get it if you are over the age of 60 or have an underlying chronic condition, such as multiple sclerosis, strokes, spinal cord or brain injuries.

Additional causes include diabetes, dementia, haemorrhoids, pelvic floor disorders, and trauma from an injury or surgery.
Diagnosis

Our specialists will conduct tests such as blood, urine or physical examinations to determine the cause of your symptoms. The tests we suggest will depend on what we thinks your underlying condition might be.

Some conditions are sex-specific, such as an enlarged prostate in men and pregnancy or hormonal changes from menopause in women. Once we have identified the cause, our specialists will recommend the most appropriate treatment option.
Treatment

Not all conditions have treatments, so our specialists may focus on managing your symptoms to improve your quality of life. For example, although multiple sclerosis doesn’t yet have a cure, we will suggest treatments to relieve your symptoms. These might include physiotherapy, external simulators or particular medications.

Other treatments that can help relieve bladder and bowel incontinence include Kegel exercises, anti-diarrhoeal and other medications. You can also try changing your diet and wearing incontinence products while you adjust to your treatment. Some people benefit from creating a bathroom schedule to teach their bodies better control.

Sometimes surgery is necessary, but our specialists are here to advise on the most appropriate treatment for you. Visit us today to meet our expert clinicians who can offer medical and emotional support or advice.

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Ten Harley Street Limited
10 Harley Street
London W1G 9PF
United Kingdom

Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm

Call: 07954 847 479