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Is Bowel Leakage A Sign Of Cancer?
Key Takeaways
– Bowel leakage is termed fecal incontinence or stool incontinence
– Accidental bowel leakage or bowel incontinence are other names for fecal incontinence
– Bowel incontinence is of two types i.e. passive incontinence and urge incontinence
– It is a rare sign of cancer
– It can be a temporary or chronic condition
– Diminished sphincter control can be a reason for your bowel leakage
– Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) can also cause bowel leakage
– Your dietary habits can also be a reason for incontinence
– Bowel leakage might trigger colon cancer in women
– Bowel leakage can be either temporary or permanent based on the origin of the disease
Bowel leakage is rarely a symptom of cancer. For your bowel leakage, cancer can alone never be the reason. There are various other possible reasons including your muscle weakness, nerve damage, or inflammatory bowel disease. It mainly depends on the severity of the accompanying condition. Some are treatable and curable, and some can be prolonged.
A temporary bowel incontinence can be a result of constipation or diarrhea. It is also possible due to childbirth, other medications you take, or a surgery you underwent in the recent past.
Permanent bowel incontinence could be due to a leakage along with abdominal pain, when you experience changes in your bowel habits, changes in your stool consistency, more frequent bowel movements, or if you find blood in your stool (red or black in color) etc.
It is a serious concern only when your leakage starts suddenly and continues for long. When the symptoms worsen over time, you need to feel more concerned. You should immediately seek medical assistance without prolonging it further.
The association of fecal incontinence with cancer remain unclear for researchers. What most researchers predict is that bowel leakage may be an early symptom of cancer!
Fecal incontinence is a health condition you might avoid to discuss with your healthcare professional. It may sound embarrassing or difficult for you to discuss about its diagnosis and treatment. Some patients even feel shy or ashamed to discuss this condition with their gastroenterologist or proctologist. However, a timely care and proper treatment can improve fecal incontinence resulting in your overall well-being and is often life-saving.
You can use some anti-diarrheal medicines for some types of bowel incontinence. For constipation, you can take fiber supplements or stool softeners. If your bowel incontinence is involved with any other treatable condition, especially the Crohn’s disease, you need to get the Crohn’s disease under control first. This will help you with improving incontinence as well.
It is a good practice to check with your physician or any other health expert namely a proctologist, gastroenterologist, or colorectal surgeon before you start the treatment for your bowel incontinence. Your healthcare provider will prescribe the right medication plan / treatment to you.
Bowel Cancer Symptoms
Bowel cancer develops from the inner linings of your bowel. The growth of polyps determines bowel cancers. Over a period of time, this can become invasive cancer if left unnoticed or undetected. It can also be colon or rectal cancer depending upon where the cancer begins.
Bowel cancer has a few other names; other names by which it is called are colorectal, rectal, or colon cancers. Some of the main symptoms of bowel cancer include diarrhea or constipation i.e. the feeling of incomplete emptying, a softer poo which is unusual for you, thin bowel stools, changes in your bowel habits, wanting to poo frequently, blood in your poo (black or red in color), unusual bleeding from your bottom, weight loss, abdominal pain, cramping, unexplained fatigue, etc. You may also encounter anemia (weakness, breathlessness, or pale complexion).
A few other serious symptoms could be a sudden lump in your rectum or anus causing pain, blood in your urine, feeling to urinate frequently mostly at night, a change in your urine color, a feeling of wanting to strain in your back passage while you poo and so on.
Cervical Bleeding After Bowel Movement
Cervical bleeding after a bowel movement can occur when you strain during the movement. This increases pressure in your pelvic area. It can irritate your cervix. An irritation in your cervix can potentially cause slight bleeding or spotting. This condition is especially relevant when you are pregnant.
During pregnancy, your cervix becomes more sensitive. However, if you experience any unusual bleeding, particularly after your bowel movement, you need to seek medical help from your healthcare professional right away. You should not avoid discussing the facts related to your bowel leakage with your doctor. There are chances it could indicate a more serious underlying health condition you have. This could be a cervical cancer or any other related pelvic issue.
You need to seek medical help when other symptoms like unusual vaginal discharge, pain during urination, or pelvic pain accompany your bleeding. It necessarily may not be cervical, or cancerous. However, it is a recommendation for you to do so to prevent further complications.
There can be other possible causes of bleeding relating to your bowel movement. They are
- Hemorrhoids – a condition where your veins swell in your rectum. It can bleed during your bowel movements
- Anal fissures are small tears in the lining of your anus. It can cause a bright red bleeding
- Colon polyps are some small growths in the colon that may bleed
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a condition like the Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. This condition results in rectal bleeding
- Rectal cancer is another serious health condition that in its advanced stages can cause bleeding during bowel movements
A prompt evaluation by your gastroenterologist is helpful to address such conditions in a timely manner.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Global Discount Drugs follows sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies and information from top institutions.
URLs Referred
Bowel Control Problems (Fecal Incontinence) – NIDDK
Fecal (Bowel) Incontinence: What It Is, Causes & Treatment
Fecal incontinence – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic
Fecal Incontinence (Accidental Bowel Leakage) – Your Pelvic Floor
Bowel incontinence – NHS
Mike is a licensed pharmacist with over 10 years of experience in community pharmacy management. He is dedicated to helping people understand their medications and improve their overall health. Mike enjoys reading medical journals and sharing practical health tips. Connect with him on LinkedIn for the latest in pharmacy practices."
Key Takeaways
– Bowel leakage is termed fecal incontinence or stool incontinence
– Accidental bowel leakage or bowel incontinence are other names for fecal incontinence
– Bowel incontinence is of two types i.e. passive incontinence and urge incontinence
– It is a rare sign of cancer
– It can be a temporary or chronic condition
– Diminished sphincter control can be a reason for your bowel leakage
– Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) can also cause bowel leakage
– Your dietary habits can also be a reason for incontinence
– Bowel leakage might trigger colon cancer in women
– Bowel leakage can be either temporary or permanent based on the origin of the disease
Bowel leakage is rarely a symptom of cancer. For your bowel leakage, cancer can alone never be the reason. There are various other possible reasons including your muscle weakness, nerve damage, or inflammatory bowel disease. It mainly depends on the severity of the accompanying condition. Some are treatable and curable, and some can be prolonged.
A temporary bowel incontinence can be a result of constipation or diarrhea. It is also possible due to childbirth, other medications you take, or a surgery you underwent in the recent past.
Permanent bowel incontinence could be due to a leakage along with abdominal pain, when you experience changes in your bowel habits, changes in your stool consistency, more frequent bowel movements, or if you find blood in your stool (red or black in color) etc.
It is a serious concern only when your leakage starts suddenly and continues for long. When the symptoms worsen over time, you need to feel more concerned. You should immediately seek medical assistance without prolonging it further.
The association of fecal incontinence with cancer remain unclear for researchers. What most researchers predict is that bowel leakage may be an early symptom of cancer!
Fecal incontinence is a health condition you might avoid to discuss with your healthcare professional. It may sound embarrassing or difficult for you to discuss about its diagnosis and treatment. Some patients even feel shy or ashamed to discuss this condition with their gastroenterologist or proctologist. However, a timely care and proper treatment can improve fecal incontinence resulting in your overall well-being and is often life-saving.
You can use some anti-diarrheal medicines for some types of bowel incontinence. For constipation, you can take fiber supplements or stool softeners. If your bowel incontinence is involved with any other treatable condition, especially the Crohn’s disease, you need to get the Crohn’s disease under control first. This will help you with improving incontinence as well.
It is a good practice to check with your physician or any other health expert namely a proctologist, gastroenterologist, or colorectal surgeon before you start the treatment for your bowel incontinence. Your healthcare provider will prescribe the right medication plan / treatment to you.
Bowel Cancer Symptoms
Bowel cancer develops from the inner linings of your bowel. The growth of polyps determines bowel cancers. Over a period of time, this can become invasive cancer if left unnoticed or undetected. It can also be colon or rectal cancer depending upon where the cancer begins.
Bowel cancer has a few other names; other names by which it is called are colorectal, rectal, or colon cancers. Some of the main symptoms of bowel cancer include diarrhea or constipation i.e. the feeling of incomplete emptying, a softer poo which is unusual for you, thin bowel stools, changes in your bowel habits, wanting to poo frequently, blood in your poo (black or red in color), unusual bleeding from your bottom, weight loss, abdominal pain, cramping, unexplained fatigue, etc. You may also encounter anemia (weakness, breathlessness, or pale complexion).
A few other serious symptoms could be a sudden lump in your rectum or anus causing pain, blood in your urine, feeling to urinate frequently mostly at night, a change in your urine color, a feeling of wanting to strain in your back passage while you poo and so on.
Cervical Bleeding After Bowel Movement
Cervical bleeding after a bowel movement can occur when you strain during the movement. This increases pressure in your pelvic area. It can irritate your cervix. An irritation in your cervix can potentially cause slight bleeding or spotting. This condition is especially relevant when you are pregnant.
During pregnancy, your cervix becomes more sensitive. However, if you experience any unusual bleeding, particularly after your bowel movement, you need to seek medical help from your healthcare professional right away. You should not avoid discussing the facts related to your bowel leakage with your doctor. There are chances it could indicate a more serious underlying health condition you have. This could be a cervical cancer or any other related pelvic issue.
You need to seek medical help when other symptoms like unusual vaginal discharge, pain during urination, or pelvic pain accompany your bleeding. It necessarily may not be cervical, or cancerous. However, it is a recommendation for you to do so to prevent further complications.
There can be other possible causes of bleeding relating to your bowel movement. They are
- Hemorrhoids – a condition where your veins swell in your rectum. It can bleed during your bowel movements
- Anal fissures are small tears in the lining of your anus. It can cause a bright red bleeding
- Colon polyps are some small growths in the colon that may bleed
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a condition like the Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. This condition results in rectal bleeding
- Rectal cancer is another serious health condition that in its advanced stages can cause bleeding during bowel movements
A prompt evaluation by your gastroenterologist is helpful to address such conditions in a timely manner.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Global Discount Drugs follows sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies and information from top institutions.
URLs Referred
Bowel Control Problems (Fecal Incontinence) – NIDDK
Fecal (Bowel) Incontinence: What It Is, Causes & Treatment
Fecal incontinence – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic
Fecal Incontinence (Accidental Bowel Leakage) – Your Pelvic Floor
Bowel incontinence – NHS
Mike is a licensed pharmacist with over 10 years of experience in community pharmacy management. He is dedicated to helping people understand their medications and improve their overall health. Mike enjoys reading medical journals and sharing practical health tips. Connect with him on LinkedIn for the latest in pharmacy practices."
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