Fecal incontinence can occur due to a wide range of disorders.
Common causes of fecal incontinence include:
(1) surgery (anorectal surgery, surgery to the anal sphincter, hemorrhoidectomy, fistulectomy, etc)
(2) trauma to anal sphincter (vaginal delivery, etc)
(3) neuropathy affecting the anal sphincter
(4) scleroderma involving anal sphincter
(5) myopathy affecting the anal sphincter
(6) rectal prolapse
(7) descending perineum syndrome
(8) radiation proctitis
(9) inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
(10) colitis
(11) rectal hyper- or hyposensitivity
(12) dementia
(13) stroke
(14) brain tumor
(15) multiple sclerosis
(16) spinal cord lesion
(17) seizure disorder
(18) psychiatric disorder
(19) irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
(20) diarrhea
(21) fecal retention (constipation) with overflow
(22) idiopathic damage to internal sphincter
(23) therapy with a medication affecting intestinal motility or the anal sphincter
