Bowel Symptoms

Bowel leakage

Bowel leakage is the involuntary passage of stool e.g. you cannot control when your bowel opens, often resulting in bowel accidents.

Constipation

There is no exact science to what constitutes constipation as the symptoms vary from person to person. It is often characterised by decreased bowel movements and straining at defaecation.

Overflow incontinence

This is a combination of bowel leakage and constipation. You can be constipated but still experience loose stool that leaks past the hard stool.

Typical symptoms of bowel leakage

• Feeling the urge to have bowel movement but not being able to control when your bowels open, resulting in a bowel accident (urge incontinence)
• Leaking stools (passive incontinence)
• Soiling of underwear
• Being unable to control when you pass air (flatus)

Typical symptoms of constipation

• Inability to have a bowel movement
• Bloating
• Discomfort
• Severe stomach ache
• Spending long amounts of time trying to pass stool

When to get in contact with your healthcare professional

A lot of people who experience bowel problems may be reluctant to go and talk to their healthcare professional, as bowel problems are very personal and potentially embarrassing subject. It is important to go and seek help, otherwise you may find that your bowel problems start to encroach on daily life.

Test your bowel symptoms

If you are experiencing episodes of faecal incontinence and/or chronic constipation, we recommend you to consult your health care professionals. To prepare yourself for the consultation, you can take a self-assessment test that both indicates the severity of your symptoms and gives your doctor relevant insights to decide on a proper treatment.