Bowel

Are you embarrassed by accidently passing wind or soiling your underwear?

Do you have to rush to the toilet for a bowel action?

Do you have to strain to empty your bowel or feel like you haven’t completely emptied?

Loss of bowel control and constipation are very distressing problems that are not often talked about. These problems can have a huge impact on your quality of life. You may start avoiding intimacy, cease exercising, or not want to leave the house before you have used your bowels.

Constipation and difficulty emptying your bowels can be painful and leave you feeling bloated and uncomfortable. Did you know that straining to empty your bowels should be avoided as it can lead to problems such as a weak pelvic floor, prolapse and haemorroids? We can teach you how!!

You are not alone as 1 in 10 women experience poor bowel control.

Common symptoms:

• Leaking from the bowel with activity or on the way to the toilet
• Having to rush to the toilet because of an overwhelming urge to use your bowel
• Accidently passing wind
• Having to strain to empty your bowel
• Having to return to the toilet soon after a bowel action to go again

Possible causes:

• Pregnancy and childbirth
• Weak pelvic floor muscles or over-tight pelvic floor muscles
• Pain with bowel action eg. constipation, haemorrhoids, anal fissure
• Poor drinking or dietary habits
• Straining to use bowels or poor toileting habits
• Poorly managed chronic constipation
• Chronic cough
• Obesity
• Strenuous sports or heavy lifting
• Ageing and menopause
• Stress and anxiety
• Neurological conditions
• Radiation therapy

What can be done?

• We are specifically trained to make a thorough assessment and design a treatment program to meet your personal needs.
• Learn where the pelvic floor muscles are and how to use / relax them
• Specific exercises will help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles
• Education on how to use these muscles in your daily activities including exercise or at work
• Advice on preventing further weakness of these muscles
• Education on self managing constipation, haemorrhoids and anal fissures
• Education on how to more effectively empty your bowel and reduce the need to strain