Bladder and bowel dysfunction means having issues with passing urine or stool. Common types of bladder and bowel dysfunction are incontinence and constipation.
There are two types of incontinence. One is stress incontinence. This is when urine leaks when you do things such as cough, sneeze, laugh, lift or jump. The other is urge incontinence. This is the strong need to pass urine or have a bowel movement with only seconds or minutes to reach the bathroom. Bowel dysfunction can include not being able to control when you pass stool, having trouble passing stool (constipation) or having infrequent bowel movements.
Common causes:
- Damage to nervous system from disease or injury
- Vaginal childbirth
- Pelvic floor dysfunction
- Pelvic surgery
- Pelvic radiation
Common treatments: