BOWEL DYSFUNCTION

Happy bowels are often an indicator of good health and wellbeing, which is why it is important to investigate any differentiation from normal bowel habits that have no obvious cause.

The following bowel habits are considered normal:

• Frequency - 3x a day to a minimum of one every 3 days 

• Minimal straining when passing a bowel motion 

• Soft but formed consistency of stools

• After a bowel motion feeling satisfied that you’ve completely emptied your rectum

• Nil bowel leakage (flatus or faecal incontinence) 

• Urge to empty bowels can be deferred if needed 

  Your pelvic floor plays an important role in both holding stool and allowing it to pass, so if your own bowel habits differentiate from these norms, it would be worth seeking a pelvic floor physiotherapy assessment.

  Bowel dysfunction includes:

• Gut discomfort/IBS symptoms

• Constipation

• An increase or decrease in normal bowel frequency

• Bowel urgency

• Difficulty/inability to control wind

•  Faecal incontinence 

• Reduced rectal sensation

• Difficulty emptying your bowels

• Pain before, during and/or after a bowel motion

• Anal fissures/haemorrhoids

• constant wiping

• Prolapse (rectocele - where the bowel bulges forward into the back vaginal wall OR rectal prolapse - where the rectum protrudes into the anus)

• Prolonged changes to your normal bowel habits

During your assessment, your physiotherapist will complete a thorough subjective and objective assessment, potentially including a bowel diary to gather information on what could be contributing to your bowel dysfunction.

Treatment may consist of education, stool manipulation (increasing fluid or fibre), urge deferral techniques, pelvic floor and anal sphincter muscle training, relaxed defecatory techniques, management of contributing factors such as pelvic organ prolapse, and referrals to relevant specialists as required.

Pelvic floor physiotherapy for bowel dysfunction is highly effective and can make a significant difference to your quality of life.