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What is poor bowel control?

People with poor bowel control accidentally pass bowel motions at the wrong time or in the wrong place. They may also pass wind when they do not mean to.

Gël yäny rac ye kë yïndä?

Kɔɔc leŋ yääc rɛc aa la roor ka kuckɛ̈ ku a lëu bë rot looi tɛ̈ rac, cëmën thäi yic. Kɔc leŋ yääc rɛc aa lëu bïk köth cï ye guum aya ku a lëu bïk ya rëër ke kɔth path.

Is poor bowel control common?

About one in 20 people has poor bowel control. Both men and women can have poor bowel control. It is more common as you get older, but a lot of young people also have poor bowel control.

Many people with poor bowel control also have poor bladder control (wetting themselves).

Gël yäny rac juëc kek kɔc?

Raan tök raan thiër-rou yic a leŋ yäny rac. Röör ku diäär aa laŋ yääc rɛc kedhie. Yäny rac ee lac rëër ke kɔɔc cë dhiɔp, ku riënythii juëc aa lëu bïk laŋ yääc rɛc aya.

Kɔc juëc leŋ yääc rɛc aa lëu bïk laŋ alɛ̈c rɛc aya (aa thäär thiu).

What causes poor bowel control?

Weak Muscles

Weak back passage muscles may be due to:

  • having babies;
  • getting older;
  • some types of surgery – such as, for piles (haemorrhoids); or
  • radiation therapy.

Yeŋö yen yäny rac bɛ̈y?

Acuëk Niɔp

Acuek kɔ̈u aa lëu bïk niööp rin:

  • Cï tik dhiët;
  • Cï raan dhiɔp;
  • Cï raan rɛt – cëmën (buathiir); wälä
  • Döny ë nyum mäkana.

Severe Diarrhoea

Diarrhoea means passing loose motions. There are many causes and it is a good idea to see your doctor to find out what can be done about this problem.

Yäc

Raan nɛ̈k yäc ee raan wën la röör kë kɔ̈c kɔ̈u. A leŋ kä juëc yäc bɛ̈i ku apath ba dhiɛl la tɛ̈n akïm rin bë yï gäm döny yäc.

Constipation

Constipation is a very common cause of bowel mishaps in older people or people with a disability. Motions can sometimes get clogged in the lower bowel and liquid can leak out around the clogged mass, which looks like there is a loss of bowel control.

Kuil

Kɔɔc cë dhiɔp wälä kɔc leŋ gup aŋɛ̈p aa lac kuil. Këdäŋ a lëu bë bɛ̈n ŋër aŋuum yic ku jɔl yic a thic piu thïn atɛ̈ɛ̈n, ku raan a rëër ciët kuc tɛ̈ bë duöt rot.

What should you do about poor bowel control?

There are many causes of poor bowel control, so a careful check is needed to find the causes and things that might make it worse.

If you often have bowel mishaps, you should first talk to your doctor. You should also let your doctor know if you have:

  • a change in your normal bowel habits;
  • pain or bleeding from the back passage;
  • a feeling that your bowel is never quite empty;
  • dark or black bowel motions; or
  • weight loss that you can’t explain.

Your doctor may:

  • ask you some questions;
  • do a physical exam of your pelvic floor muscles (if you say this is okay);
  • ask you to keep a chart of your bowel habits and what you eat and drink for a while; or
  • refer you for an ultrasound to check your pelvic floor muscles.

Yeŋö ba looi tɛ̈ rɛɛc yäny du?

A leŋ kä juëc yäny rac bɛ̈i, ka yeen apath ba rot cɔl a ciɛɛth akïm rin bë kën yï gäm yäny rac ŋic ku ŋic käŋ ye juak nyin.

Na ye yäc yï lac dɔm, ka yï kɔŋ yï thok tuööm kek akïmdu. Lɛ̈k akïmdu tɛ̈:/p>

  • Ye yäny du ye yic lac waar;
  • Ye yï reem kɔ̈u wälä ye kuër;
  • Ye yïn rëër ciët yï wïc la roor;
  • Ye kë col nyin bɛn bei tɛ̈ le yïn roor; wulɛ̈/ka
  • Ŋuɛɛt/Guak kuɔ̈c rot.

Akïmdu a:

  • Bï yïn thiëëc wël juëc;
  • Acuek kuun aŋuum caath (tɛ̈ cïn yen kë riɛ̈ɛ̈c yï guöp thïn);
  • Bï lɛ̈k kuat kë looi yäny du ya gät piny ku gät kä ye cam ku kä ye dek, ku a ba looi kaam thi wälä kaam bär yic; wälä
  • Lëu bï tuɔɔc tënë kɔc kɔc caar yiic rin bë acuek aŋuum ku bɛn la caath macaar.

How can poor bowel control be helped?

Because loss of bowel control is a warning sign and not a disease, the right care will depend on what is causing the problem.

Care may include:

  • checking the medicines and tablets you take;
  • taking a new medicine to firm up your motions or to settle your bowels;
  • getting constipation under control if this is a cause;
  • pelvic floor muscle training to help make your pelvic floor muscles stronger. The muscles around the back passage are part of the pelvic floor muscles;
  • treatment by a physiotherapist or a continence nurse who knows about pelvic floor muscle problems. This could also involve using equipment to get the pelvic floor muscles working; or
  • visiting a surgeon or other specialist doctor, if your doctor refers you.

Raan leŋ yäny rac bë konu kadä?

Rin ye yäc kë laan kɔc lɛ̈k lɔn leŋ yen tuany tɔ̈u raan guöp, ka döny bë gäm raan a bë luɔɔy tɛ̈ cït tɛ̈n tuany cë yök raan guöp.

Döc alëu bï ya:

  • Ciɛɛth wal ye dek;
  • Dëŋ wal yam rin bë yäc kɔ̈ɔ̈c;
  • Lär yäc rin kuil jäl tɛ̈ yen kuil ye ka cï raan kuil;
  • Duɛ̈ɛ̈ny ë acuek aŋuum rin bïk riɛl bïk raan cɔl ye ŋiɛc gum tɛ̈ wïc yen la roor. Acuek aŋuum tɔ̈u raan kɔ̈u aa nuɛ̈t ke acuek raan cɔl agum tɛ̈ wïc yen la roor;
  • Döny ë raan kɔc duääny wälä akuɔnyakïm ë thiu thar wën ŋic tɛ̈ ye acuek aŋuum luui thïn. Döny kën a lëu bë yic laŋ luöŋ kɔ̈k wën bë raan kony bë acuek aŋuum ŋiɛc duääny; wälä
  • La bï raan la tɛ̈n akïm dïït wën bë yeen la rɛt tɛ̈ cï akïm tueŋ cïn la thïn yï tuɔɔc.

For people with dementia or confusion

People with dementia or confusion may not feel, or be aware of, the urge to empty their bowels. This can lead to leaking of a normal bowel action. A common time for this to happen is soon after a meal, often breakfast.

Watching the person’s bowel habits for a while may help to show a pattern of bowel habits. Also, keeping track of how they act may help to find out when a bowel motion will happen. Then the person can be taken to the toilet in time.

Tɛ̈n kɔɔc cï tɛ̈ktɛ̈k määr wälä kɔɔc rëër ke cë nhïïm liääp

Kɔɔc cï tɛ̈ktɛ̈k määr wälä kɔɔc rëër ke cë nhïïm liääp aa lëu bïk rëër ka kuckä lɔn cï kek la roor. Keya ka keek aa lëu bïk la roor path ka kuckä. Ku kaam ye kën rot lac looi ee tɛ̈ puɔc ke mïth, ku ee lac ya miëth nhiäknhiäk.

Na muk raan nhom kaam bär yic ka lëu ba tɛ̈ ye yäny de luui thïn ŋic. Aya, na muk raan nhom tɛ̈ deen yen rot luɔɔy thïn tɛ̈ wïc yen la roor ka lëu ba ya ŋic tɛ̈ wïc yen la roor. Ku keya ka raan a lëu bë ɣäth ɣön la roor.

Seek help

Qualified nurses are available if you call the National Continence Helpline on 1800 33 00 66* (Monday to Friday, between 8.00am to 8.00pm Australian Eastern Standard Time) for free:

  • Information;
  • Advice; and
  • Leaflets.

If you have difficulty speaking or understanding English you can access the Helpline through the free Telephone Interpreter Service on 13 14 50. The phone will be answered in English, so please name the language you speak and wait on the phone. You will be connected to an interpreter who speaks your language. Tell the interpreter you wish to call the National Continence Helpline on 1800 33 00 66. Wait on the phone to be connected and the interpreter will assist you to speak with a continence nurse advisor. All calls are confidential.

* Calls from mobile telephones are charged at applicable rates.

Wïc kuɔɔny

Mathaat akïm cï piöc aabï tɔ̈ na yï ayup telepun Kuɔɔny Baai käk thiu thar ee nïmra kënëic tök, bɛ̈t, gueu, diäk, diäk, gueu, dhetem, dhetem*/ 1800 33 00 66* (aköl Tök agut aköl Dhiëc ee Läätic (Monday- Friday) kaam thaa bɛ̈t nhiäk-duur (8am) ku thaa bɛ̈t thëëi (8pm) ee thaa kɔc Australia ciëŋ Ciëën) aye gäm kɔc abɛc:

  • Lëk/Wël;
  • Wëët; ku
  • Athör thiin ë lëk.

Na yïn acie ŋiëc jam thoŋ English apiɛth ka yïn alëu ba telpun luɔi ye kɔc Kuɔny wɛ̈r thokic yuɔ̈p. Cɔl nïmra kënë tök diäk, tök, ŋuan, dhiëc/13 14 50. Tueŋic, abï raan kɔŋ dhuk nhom ee thoŋ English, luel thoŋduɔ̈n ee yïn jam ku tiɛ̈ɛ̈t ee telepunic. Yïn abï tuɔ̈ɔ̈m thok kek raan kɔc waar thook/duwër jam thuɔŋdu, ku jal kek lɛ̈k wɛ̈tduɔ̈n wïc ee yïn kɔc Baai Kuɔɔny Käk thiu thar yuɔ̈p ee nïmra kënëic tök, bɛ̈t, gueu, diäk, diäk, gueu, dhetem, dhetem/ 1800 33 00 66. Tiɛ̈ɛ̈t ee telepunic ku bï yï gam ku duwër abï kony ba jam kek mathaat akïm kɔc lɛ̈k. Telepun duwër aye kɔc yup thïn abɛc/majan ee rin cïn en wëu ye wïc tënë yïn. Kek wël ëbɛ̈n aye thiaan yiic.

* Yup mobaalic ee wëu cam tëcït cɔ̈t baai ëtɛ̈n.

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Last Updated: Fri 30, Jul 2021
Last Reviewed: Tue 17, Mar 2020