Bowel leakage occurs when stool escapes the rectum without prompting, typically outside of planned bathroom breaks. It could be an indicator of an underlying disease such as Crohn’s or cancer.
Changes in bowel habits should always be discussed with a medical provider as they could indicate serious health concerns, including colorectal cancer.
What is Bowel Leakage
Signs and Symptoms of Bowel Leakage
People experiencing bowel leakage can benefit from eating a healthy diet, maintaining a food diary and engaging in physical activity regularly. If their bowel habits change unexpectedly, it is wise to consult their physician immediately; an faecal occult blood test (FOBT) may be performed which looks for any trace amounts of blood hidden within their stool that can’t be seen by naked eye.
If bowel leakage is long-term or recurrent, doctors will conduct diagnostic tests such as colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy to ascertain its source. An MRI scan provides cross-sectional images of your bowel and surrounding organs and can assist doctors in detecting tumours.
Leakage may result from structural abnormalities within the colon, including scarring from surgery or radiation therapy, rectal prolapse, inflammatory bowel disease and damage to nerves from injury or surgery; or from diseases affecting stool consistency like diabetes mellitus and irritable bowel syndrome.
Bowel Leakage Causes
Bowel leakage can be caused by various factors, including diarrhea and injury to anal sphincter muscles or nerves due to surgery or injury, as well as certain medications like antibiotics or painkillers.
Changes in toilet habits such as constipation or diarrhea could be an early indicator of bowel cancer; these changes typically don’t last for too long so, if noticed, contact your GP as soon as possible for an appointment.
Blood in or on your stool may be an indicator of colorectal cancer, though this symptom is less prevalent.
Other conditions, including ulcers, IBS and piles (haemorrhoids) could be to blame; while iron or beetroot-containing medicines could give the stool an irregular colouring that gives the appearance of bleeding. If this happens to you it’s best to contact your GP immediately as they can arrange an iFOBT to check for tiny traces of blood not always seen by human eyes.
Bowel Leakage Treatments
Many types of cancer can lead to bowel leakage, with colorectal cancer being one of the most prevalent culprits. It occurs when abnormal cells start multiplying uncontrollably in either the colon or rectum and spread throughout the body – leading to symptoms like leakage of stool into the colon and/or rectorium.
Detection of blood in your stool should prompt immediate consultation with a healthcare provider; however, blood in your stool doesn’t necessarily indicate cancer but could instead point towards hemorrhoids, diverticulitis or iron deficiency as potential conditions that need further medical evaluation.
FOBT (faecal occult blood test) is a simple and painless screening test to check for traces of blood in your stool, providing a simple yet painless screening option to assess health concerns. Your physician can provide you with a kit should this concern you; additionally it can detect low red blood cell counts which is common among bowel cancer patients as well.
Other possible tests include rectal ultrasounds, CT scans or colonoscopies while UVA offers biofeedback therapy and electrical stimulation to strengthen pelvic floor muscles further.
Does Bowel Leakage Indicate Cancer?
Several conditions can manifest as bowel leakage, with bowel cancer being among them. However, it is uncommon for bowel incontinence to signify cancer. Nevertheless, certain studies propose that fecal incontinence might serve as an early indication of cancer, although the connection remains unclear.
Colorectal cancer may emerge without noticeable signs, but bleeding can be an early symptom of colon cancer. Although constipation, diarrhea, and bowel incontinence typically denote less severe issues, they can also serve as indicators of colorectal cancer.
Bowel leakage occasionally accompanies colon cancer, constituting one of its prevailing symptoms. Nonetheless, bowel leakage rarely indicates cancer, and it is more commonly associated with treatable conditions like irritable bowel syndrome or muscle weakness.
Anal cancer presents symptoms such as bleeding, pain, alterations in bowel habits, intense itching, mucus discharge from the rectum, difficulties in bowel control, and fistulas. The presence of gas or feces passing through the vagina could indicate a fistula, which might be indicative of anal cancer. However, some individuals may exhibit no symptoms at all.
In conclusion, bowel leakage can potentially signify various conditions, including bowel cancer. Nevertheless, bowel incontinence rarely serves as an indication of cancer. Seeking medical attention is crucial if you experience symptoms of bowel incontinence or any other worrisome signs.
