Question: How do doctors diagnose fecal incontinence?
Answer: Doctors use your medical history, a physical exam, and medical tests to diagnose fecal incontinence and its causes.

Medical history

In addition to reviewing your general medical history, your doctor may ask the following questions:

When did your fecal incontinence start?
Did your fecal incontinence start afterthe birth of your child?a motor vehicle accident?a fall?the start of another illness?
the birth of your child?
a motor vehicle accident?
a fall?
the start of another illness?
How often does your fecal incontinence happen?
How muchstoolpasses?
Do you pass liquid or solid stool?
Do you have a strong urge to have abowel movementbefore your fecal incontinence happens?
Do you know when you need to have a bowel movement before it happens?
Does your fecal incontinence happen without you knowing?
Do you leak liquid stool or mucus?
Do you have fecal incontinence when you havediarrheaorconstipation?
Is your fecal incontinence worse after eating?
Do certain foods seem to make your fecal incontinence worse?
How does fecal incontinence affect your daily life?

Your doctor may ask you to keep a stool diary to help answer these questions. A stool diary is a chart for recording details of your daily bowel movements. Your doctor may give you a stool diary form that he or she has created. Or, you can create your own stool diary form or record your bowel movement details in a notebook.

You may feel embarrassed or shy about answering your doctor’s questions. However, your doctor will not be shocked or surprised. The more details and examples you can give about your problem, the better your doctor will be able to help you. You can play an active role in your diagnosis by talking openly and honestly with your doctor.

Physical exam

Your doctor will perform a physical exam, including a

digital rectal exam
pelvic exam—an exam to check if internal female reproductive organs are normal by feeling their shape andsize
Question: What medical tests do doctors use to diagnose fecal incontinence?
Answer: Lab tests

Your doctor may use one or more of the following lab tests to look for signs of certain diseases and conditions that may be causing your fecal incontinence.

Blood testscan show signs ofanemia,inflammation, and infection.
Stool tests can show the presence of blood and signs of infection and inflammation.
Urine testscan show signs of diseases such astype 2 diabetes.

Bowel function tests

Your doctor may perform one or more of the following tests to see how well the muscles and nerves in your anus, pelvic floor, and rectum are working:

anorectal manometry—a test that checks how sensitive your rectum is, how well it works, and how well the analsphincterswork
defecography—anx-rayof the area around the anus and rectum to see how well you can hold and release stool
electromyography—a test that checks how well the muscles and nerves of your anus and pelvic floor are working

Endoscopy

Your doctor may perform an endoscopy to look inside your anus, rectum, and colon for signs of inflammation and digestive tract problems that may be causing your fecal incontinence. Endoscopies for fecal incontinence include

anoscopy
colonoscopy
flexible sigmoidoscopy
rectoscopy—a procedure similar to an anoscopy to look inside your rectum

Imaging tests

To look for problems in the anus, pelvic floor, or rectum that may be causing your fecal incontinence, your doctor may perform an imaging test such as

lower GI series
magnetic resonance imaging
ultrasound