Many otherwise healthy, active people suffer from incontinence or loss of bowel control. Fecal incontinence (FI) is also called bowel incontinence, and may also be called accidental bowel leakage. It strikes men and women of all ages and involves the involuntary loss of solid or liquid stool. Incontinence is a long-term, stressful, and limiting […]
Symptom overlap is common among several functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. For instance, care must be taken not to confuse functional dyspepsia with other common disorders that may cause upper gastrointestinal distress, like heartburn, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), functional abdominal bloating, and functional biliary disorders. Functional dyspepsia is identified based on symptoms. […]
Here are some common questions about GI disorders in children: How do I know if my child really has an upset stomach, or is trying to avoid going to school? Many school-age children never think about faking it; assume the bellyache is real. However, children and parents often forget that some bellyaches come from too […]
By Nancy J. Norton, Former President and Founder, International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD) If you think fecal incontinence is a problem of old age, you are partly right. Although it does affect the elderly, people of all ages live with fecal incontinence. In fact, many older people have been trying to cope with […]
Tips to consider when finding a doctor Whether your doctor is a family doctor or a specialist (like a gastroenterologist), there are certain qualities to look for to help you get the care you need for your incontinence. Here is a checklist of questions to consider: Is your doctor sympathetic? Does he or she listen […]
Common Causes of Incontinence Continence depends on properly functioning muscles and nerves in and around the rectum and anal canal. Any condition that interferes with these complex mechanisms may result in incontinence. Examples of events or conditions that can affect continence and lead to bowel incontinence, or loss of bowel control, include: childbirth, constipation, diarrhea, […]
Newer Treatment Newer treatments continue to be developed to improve continence. These range from nerve stimulation in the lower pelvic area, to implants, and injection of bulking materials. There is hope through research that additional therapeutic options will continue to be made available for patients with incontinence unresponsive to current treatments. Two newer treatment options […]
What is infant regurgitation? Regurgitation means the backward movement of stomach contents up the esophagus (the “swallowing tube’) into the mouth. Regurgitation often includes the release of the material from the mouth, as in infants who “spit up.” It occurs when the muscle between the esophagus and stomach relaxes (as it does during burping). This […]
Personal Story
Vanessa’s Personal Story: From Misdiagnosed Pain to a GERD Diagnosis Hi everyone, hope all of you are doing well. My GERD story is quite different, at first I had abdominal and flank pain. The ultrasound result said I had UTI, after taking 1 week of antibiotics, the pain came back after 5 days. I was […]
Pediatric functional gastrointestinal (GI) and motility disorders are challenging to live with and to treat. But usually, working with a caring and accesible health care provider, they are manageable. For parents or care givers of children with illness four questions are paramount: What is wrong? Is it dangerous? Will it go away? What can we […]
Gastroesophageal reflux is the backflow of stomach contents into the esophagus. Under normal circumstances, the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) acts like a valve to prevent backflow. During the first year, “spitting up” is a normal phenomena in infants. It generally takes about a year for the LES to mature. If reflux persists beyond the first […]
In December 2007, with vigorous encouragement from IFFGD, the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) conducted an NIH State-of-the-Science Conference on Prevention of Fecal and Urinary Incontinence in Adults. The conference resulted in a strong statement by the NIH about the huge unmet need of those who are affected by incontinence. The NIH Panel reported […]