Fecal Impaction Treatment
Fecal impaction happens when the human stool (feces) becomes dry and hard that it cannot pass through the colon to the rectum. It is often a result of chronic constipation or delaying a bowel movement.
Why Do Fecal Impaction Occur?
Many possible causes of fecal impaction are identified. Some of them are the following:
- Physical immobility (paralysis, weakness, or people who live a sedentary life)
- Inadequate intake of fiber-rich food
- Decreased fluid intake
- Medicating on drugs such as narcotic pain relievers, anticholinergics, antidiarrheals
- Constipation
Fecal Impaction Symptoms
The symptoms generally affect the digestive tract, which include the following:
- Chronic constipation
- Uncontrolled outflow of fecal materials or diarrhea because the liquid stool passess around the impaction.
- Cramping of the abdomen
- Straining during bowel movement with liquid stool passage
- Semi-formed stool
- An episode of diarrhea with someone who has chronic constipation
Prevention Is Better Than Cure
Prevention is very important than to treat fecal impaction. Simple and easy steps that one should not take for granted are as follows:
- Avoid taking pain medications.
- Drink plenty of fluid to prevent over absorption of fluid from the feces.
- Eat foods high in fiber such as fruits, vegetables, whole wheat, and bran.
- Although still arguable, yoga is believed to mobilize impacted stool.
- Daily exercise or passive range of motion movements for bed-ridden patients.
- Regular or an attempt to move bowel every morning after eating.
Removal of Fecal Impaction
Lifestyle modification and medical treatment is required to treat fecal impaction. The focus of this section is the medical management.
- Enema and osmotic laxatives
- Manual disimpaction. This is done by lubricating the anus and using a finger to break the dried mass.
- Taking stool softeners
- Surgery to remove a complicated impaction
- Related Topics
- Fecal Incontinence Causes: Home Remedies For Bowel Incontinence
- Difficulty Passing Stool: Causes, Treatment For Problem To Pass Stool
- Symptoms and Effective Treatment for Impacted Cerumen in Ear
- Tenesmus Treatment: What is Tenesmus Symptoms And Causes
- Obstructed Bowel: Symptoms And Treatment For Bowel Obstruction
