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The treatment of fecal impaction requires both the remedy of the impaction and treatment to prevent recurrences. Decreased motility of the colon results in dry, hard stools that in the case of fecal impaction become compacted into a large, hard mass of stool that cannot be expelled from the rectum. [citation needed]
The water and stool may take some time to fully evacuate, especially with patients with obstructed defecation. People with reduced muscular strength of the anal sphincter may encounter problems with later leakage of the water mixed with stool, which may bring similar, socially devastating problems as seen with fecal incontinence.
Reduced rectal storage capacity may lead to urge incontinence, where there is an urgent need to defecate as soon as stool enters the rectum, where normally stool would be stored until there was enough to distend the rectal walls and initiate the defecation cycle. Tumors and rectal strictures also may impair reservoir function.
Diarrhea is defined by the World Health Organization as having three or more loose or liquid stools per day, or as having more stools than is normal for that person. [ 2 ] Acute diarrhea is defined as an abnormally frequent discharge of semisolid or fluid fecal matter from the bowel, lasting less than 14 days, by World Gastroenterology ...
Loose stools, also known as diarrhea, also tend to leave more of a mess, De Latour explains. It’s normal for most people to pass loose stools from time to time, but severe or persistent loose ...
The most common form of dysentery is bacillary dysentery, which is typically a mild sickness, causing symptoms normally consisting of mild abdominal pains and frequent passage of loose stools or diarrhea. Symptoms normally present themselves after 1–3 days, and are usually no longer present after a week.
Steatorrhea should be suspected when the stools are bulky, floating and foul-smelling. [1] Specific tests are needed to confirm that these properties are in fact due to excessive levels of fat. Fats in feces can be measured over a defined time (often five days). [ 14 ]
If diarrhea becomes severe (typically defined as three or more loose stools in an eight-hour period), especially if associated with nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, fever, or blood in stools, medical treatment should be sought. Such patients may benefit from antimicrobial therapy. [12]