It's very common, affecting around 50 percent of people with the disease, notes an article published in July 2017 in the Journal of Neurology. One form this dysfunction can take is bowel incontinence, or inability to control bowel movements, per the NMSS.
Studies suggest that as many as five out of ten people with MS experience a bowel accident at some time. They are more common in people who have mobility problems as reaching a toilet quickly may be difficult.
Most individuals experience constipation or slow bowel. Some people with MS have reported bowel incontinence (loss of bowel control) and diarrhea, although these latter symptoms are less common than constipation in individuals with MS. Constipation is very common among people with MS.
Stress incontinence is leakage of urine when your bladder is under pressure, for example when sneezing, coughing or lifting something heavy. This happens when your pelvic floor muscles are weakened. In MS neurological damage can result in weakness to the pelvic floor.
It is not uncommon for people with MS to experience both constipation and incontinence at the same time. Less often MS might cause diarrhoea or loose bowel movements. If your bowel problems are affecting your life, if things have changed or you're worried, don't hesitate to contact your health professional.
Causes of bowel incontinence
problems with the rectum – the rectum is unable to retain poo properly until it's time to go to the toilet. problems with the sphincter muscles – the muscles at the bottom of the rectum don't work properly. nerve damage – the nerve signals sent from the rectum don't reach the brain.
Many individuals with MS experience both constipation and fecal incontinence, often swinging between these two extremes. These symptoms can be devastating, as it can be difficult to work, have a social life, or even run errands, if you are in pain from constipation or worried about loss of bowel control.
Exercises that engage the pelvic floor muscles are often recommended for incontinence, according to the National MS Society. A pelvic floor physical therapist can teach a person to contract, relax, and coordinate the muscles involved in bladder and bowel control, helping to normalize these functions.
Another drug called desmopressin causes your body to make less pee. This stops you from needing to get up in the night to use the toilet, letting you sleep better. A drug called mirabegron (brand name Betmiga) relaxes the muscle in your bladder. This helps with urgency, frequency and incontinence.
Interstitial Cystitis and the Link with Incontinence
Autoimmune diseases and incontinence commonly meet at the issue of interstitial cystitis (IC). IC is a characteristic autoimmune inflammation of bladder tissue that hampers urinary function and leads to incontinence.
The researchers found that over the past 25 years, life expectancy for people with MS has increased. However, they also found that the median age of survival of people with MS was 76 years, versus 83 years for the matched population.
When should I see a doctor for fecal incontinence? You should see a doctor if your fecal incontinence is frequent or severe.
People who have long-standing diabetes, multiple sclerosis, or back trauma from injury or surgery may be at risk of fecal incontinence. These conditions can damage nerves that help control defecation. Dementia. Fecal incontinence is often present in late-stage Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
The symptoms of neurogenic bowel dysfunction (NBD) comprise constipation and fecal incontinence. These have a major impact on quality of life and dignity. Bowel symptoms occur in the majority of patients with chronic neurological diseases like multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, and Parkinson's disease.
Metabolites altered in urine from MS patients were shown to be related to known pathogenic processes relevant to MS, including alterations in energy and fatty acid metabolism, mitochondrial activity, and the gut microbiota.
Some of the factors that have been suggested as possible causes of MS include: your genes – MS isn't directly inherited, but people who are related to someone with the condition are more likely to develop it; the chance of a sibling or child of someone with MS also developing it is estimated to be around 2 to 3 in 100.
Treatment options for urgency incontinence:
Pelvic floor physical therapy – This therapy helps to retrain the bladder. Medications – A range of medications can help you hold your bladder for longer and decrease your urinary frequency symptoms.
Surgery can sometimes improve or cure incontinence if it is caused by a change in the position of the bladder or blockage due to an enlarged prostate.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease of the central nervous system (CNS) — the brain and spinal cord. It affects multiple areas of the body. People with MS gradually lose the coating called myelin on the neurons throughout their CNS. This affects the ability of nerves to send signals.
Fecal incontinence means that you aren't able to hold your bowel movement (feces or stool) until you get to a toilet. There are many reasons for this. It might be a case of diarrhea that strikes suddenly. Or there could be damaged muscles or nerves in your rectum.
Also called bowel leakage, fecal incontinence means you have little to no control over your bowel movements. According to Mayo Clinic, this issue can be caused by weak sphincter muscles, nerve damage, chronic constipation, or rectal injuries.