Anal leakage: Difference between revisions
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'''Anal leakage''' is a medical condition of fecal incontinence. Anal leakage affects about 2% of adults. |
'''Anal leakage''' is a medical condition of fecal incontinence. Anal leakage affects about 2% of adults. KARL HAS ANAL LEAKAGE AND HE COLLECTS IT IN A BOTTLE |
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Revision as of 19:02, 20 December 2006
Anal leakage is a medical condition of fecal incontinence. Anal leakage affects about 2% of adults. KARL HAS ANAL LEAKAGE AND HE COLLECTS IT IN A BOTTLE
Causes
Diet
Foods that make the consistency of the feces more runny such as a heavy intake of beer, can make it difficult for the anus to retain loose stools.
In the United States, the fat susbtitute olestra (Olean), used in some reduced-calorie foods, has gained unwelcome publicity for this reason. Most of this publicity was due to an FDA warning indicating that excessive consumption of olestra could result in loose stools. However, the FDA no longer required this warning from 2003 onwards.
Foods which cause gas may also make leakage more likely. With the expulsion of gas, some fecal material may be propelled out at the same time.
Other Causes
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the other common cause as bowel muscle contractions associated with IBS may result in difficulty retaining feces in the large intestine.
Childbirth can be a causal factor. After giving birth, more than 1 in 10 women finds that she has difficulty in controlling gas or fecal leakage [citation needed]. The reasons are manyfold: damage to anal muscles, an episiotomy, or damage to the pudendal nerve may occur during childbirth. The problem may increase with age or from giving birth to a large baby [citation needed].
It is quite common to have both fecal incontinence and incontinence of urine. A study of women with urine incontinence found that almost 1 in 4 also had some leakage of feces (Obstetrics and Gynecology 2002;100:719–23).
Fecal leakage may occur for those who practice anal sex very often, due to weakening of the sphincter[citation needed]. However, for most people who practice anal sex, this does not occur.[citation needed]
Fecal leakage is also quite common in older people because the anal muscle becomes weaker with age. One reason may be constipation. This condition is called ‘overflow incontinence’.
Medications
Some medications make the feces looser and therefore more prone to anal leakage. Misoprostol (a medication for stomach and duodenal ulcers that is sometimes prescribed for elderly people) may also lead to anal leakage [citation needed].
Orlistat (Xenical) is a diet pill that works by blocking the enzymes that digest fat. As a result, fat cannot be absorbed from the gut, and instead some fat is excreted in the faeces instead of ending up as part of visceral fat. This undigested fat is passed in the stools and as a result, can cause oily anal leakage.
Vitamin C tablets that have a coating and do not dissolve easily may contribute to this issue, because they can find their way to the intestine before dissolving completely. One way to mitigate this may be to take a readily dissolving or pre-dissolved vitamin C supplement.