Rectal sensation tells a person that stool is in the rectum. Then the person knows that it is time to go to the bathroom. A person also must be alert enough to notice the rectal sensation and do something about it. He or she must also be able to move to a toilet. If something is wrong with any of these factors, then fecal incontinence can occur.
Muscle damage is involved in most cases of fecal incontinence.
In women, this damage commonly occurs during childbirth. An episiotomy is when a cut is made to enlarge the opening to the vagina for delivery of a baby. Young women can often compensate for muscle weakness. Typically, they only develop incontinence in later life when their muscles are growing weaker and the supporting structures in the pelvis are becoming loose. It may also occur in people with inflammatory bowel disease or an abscess in the perirectal area.