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A fecal impaction or an impacted bowel is a solid, immobile bulk of feces that can develop in the rectum as a result of chronic constipation [1] (a related term is fecal loading which refers to a large volume of stool in the rectum of any consistency). [2]
Primary constipation is caused by disrupted regulation of neuromuscular function of in the colon and the rectum, and also disruption of brain–gut neuroenteric function. [21] Secondary constipation is caused by many other different factors such as diet, drugs, behavioral, endocrine, metabolic, neurological, and other disorders. [21]
Functional constipation, also known as chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC), is defined by less than three bowel movements per week, hard stools, severe straining, the sensation of anorectal blockage, the feeling of incomplete evacuation, and the need for manual maneuvers during feces, without organic abnormalities.
Fecal incontinence (FI), or in some forms, encopresis, is a lack of control over defecation, leading to involuntary loss of bowel contents — including flatus (gas), liquid stool elements and mucus, or solid feces.
Constipation is more concerning when there is weight loss or anemia, blood is present in the stool, there is a history of inflammatory bowel disease or colon cancer in a person's family, or it is of new onset in someone who is older. [12] Treatment of constipation depends on the underlying cause and the duration that it has been present. [4]
Doctors refer to this as a change in your stool caliber. If your stools are regularly much thinner than before, this may suggest a tumor in the colon, Inra said. ... Watch for other changes in ...
Patients may use the Bristol Stool Chart to help them describe and characterise the morphological features of their stool, this is useful as it gives an indication of the transit time. [ 18 ] [ non-primary source needed ] An objective method used to evaluate the motility of the colon and help with diagnosis is the colon transit time.
Oily stool, a.k.a. steatorrhea. Steatorrhea refers to bulky, foul-smelling, oily stool that tends to be pale in color and float in the toilet bowl, resisting flushing.