Fecal incontinence

Overview

Fecal incontinence is the inability to control bowel movements, causing stool (feces) to leak unexpectedly from the rectum. Also called bowel incontinence, fecal incontinence can range from occasional stool leakage while passing gas to complete loss of bowel control. There are a number of effective treatments for this condition.

Why choose Mayo Clinic

• Experience. Mayo Clinic specialists treat more than 1,500 people each year for fecal incontinence.
• Diagnostic expertise. Mayo Clinic specialists have helped develop state-of-the-art imaging to assess the anatomy and function of the anus and rectum.
• Treatment options. Mayo offers a full range of treatments, including a pelvic floor retraining program, where you learn how to strengthen pelvic floor muscles, sense when stool is ready to be evacuated and contract the muscles if evacuation is inconvenient.
• Research leader. Mayo Clinic specialists are working to find more effective treatments for fecal incontinence. Mayo patients are among the first to benefit from new findings made at Mayo.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., ranks No. 1 for digestive disorders in the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings. Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Ariz., and Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla., are ranked high performing for digestive disorders by U.S. News & World Report.

Read more about fecal incontinence.

Mayo Clinic: Answers you can trust

At Mayo Clinic, we assemble a team of specialists who take the time to listen and thoroughly understand your health issues and concerns. We tailor the care you receive to your personal health care needs. You can trust our specialists to collaborate and offer you the best possible outcomes, safety and service.

Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical institution that reinvests all earnings into improving medical practice, research and education. We're constantly involved in innovation and medical research, finding solutions to improve your care and quality of life. Your doctor or someone on your medical team is likely involved in research related to your condition.

Our patients tell us that the quality of their interactions, our attention to detail and the efficiency of their visits mean health care — and trusted answers — like they've never experienced.

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