One of the most underreported conditions in medicine. It deserves clinical attention and open discussion.
Fecal incontinence, the unintentional loss of solid or liquid stool, is far more common than most people realize. The actual number of people affected is likely much higher than reported because most never mention it to a healthcare provider. The embarrassment is real, but so is the impact: avoiding social situations, limiting travel, planning every outing around bathroom access, and carrying a constant background of anxiety that no one else can see.
This is a medical condition with identifiable causes. For most patients, it is treatable without surgery. At ReNueva, bowel control concerns are treated with the same clinical attention and privacy as any other health condition.
What Is Fecal Incontinence
Fecal incontinence is the involuntary loss of stool, whether solid or liquid. It ranges from occasional minor leakage to episodes that significantly disrupt daily life. Maintaining bowel continence depends on the coordinated function of the anal sphincter, the pelvic floor muscles, rectal sensation, stool consistency, and the nerves that connect them. When any part of this system is weakened, damaged, or poorly coordinated, control may be compromised.
What Contributes to Fecal Incontinence
Stool consistency. Loose or watery stool is one of the most significant modifiable factors. Anal sphincter injury (e.g. obstetric injuries during vaginal delivery). Pelvic floor weakness from childbirth, aging, inactivity, or surgery. Neurological conditions (spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, stroke, Parkinson's, diabetic neuropathy). Chronic constipation and fecal impaction leading to overflow incontinence. Prior surgery or radiation. Medications. Older age, obesity, smoking, decreased physical activity, diabetes, and urinary incontinence are all associated with increased risk. If you experience urinary incontinence as well, the two may share pelvic floor dysfunction as a common factor.
Why It Is So Difficult to Talk About
Fecal incontinence carries more stigma than almost any other medical condition. Most people suffer in silence, sometimes for years. They stop traveling. They avoid restaurants. They withdraw from relationships. They assume nothing can be done, or that bringing it up will be humiliating. It does not have to be this way. This is a medical condition, not a personal failure, and it responds to treatment.
A sudden, compelling urge to have a bowel movement that cannot be controlled, resulting in leakage before reaching the toilet. Often related to diarrhea or rectal urgency.
Leakage of stool without awareness or sensation. May be associated with nerve damage or sphincter weakness.
Features of both urge and passive incontinence together.
Uses high-intensity focused electromagnetic (HIFEM) technology to deliver thousands of deep pelvic floor contractions in a single session. EMSELLA strengthens the muscular support system that contributes to continence, improving muscle strength, endurance, and activation timing. It does not directly repair the sphincter, but by enhancing the pelvic floor foundation, it may meaningfully improve bowel control in patients where muscle weakness or poor activation is a significant factor. Sessions are performed fully clothed. No needles, no invasive procedures, no recovery time.
Learn moreAn advanced neuromuscular stimulation platform that retrains the timing and coordination of pelvic floor muscle contraction. Fecal continence is not just about strength, it is about the muscles activating at the right moment, especially during sudden increases in abdominal pressure or unexpected urge. FREEDOM+ may help retrain these neural pathways, complementing what EMSELLA provides. Particularly valuable for patients with coordination deficits, post-surgical changes, or nerve signaling issues where EMSELLA alone does not produce the desired functional control.
Learn moreDietary and lifestyle strategies are an important part of fecal incontinence care and may meaningfully improve symptoms for many patients. These may include identifying and avoiding dietary triggers (caffeine, artificial sweeteners, lactose), fiber supplementation to improve stool consistency, fluid management, scheduled toileting, and bowel diary monitoring. Supervised pelvic floor exercises improve awareness and correct activation patterns.
Improvement is typically gradual. Most patients notice reduced episodes over the course of treatment, with continued improvement in the weeks following. You remain fully clothed throughout. For EMSELLA, you sit on a specialized chair for approximately 28 minutes. Most patients describe the sensation as a comfortable tingling or rhythmic contraction. No preparation required. While full results develop over weeks, many patients report a noticeable difference in control after the first few sessions. These are walk-in, walk-out treatments. There is no anesthesia, no recovery period, and you can return to your normal activities immediately. In Fort McMurray, the physical demands and limited facilities of many work environments make bowel control a practical concern, not just a quality-of-life issue. For patients managing this condition alongside shift work, remote site assignments, and long commutes, knowing that treatment is private, effective, and requires no time off matters. You do not have to keep managing this alone. Book a consultation for a private, individualized evaluation. Your clinician will review your symptoms and history. There is no judgment and no pressure.
At ReNueva, we find that most patients presenting with fecal incontinence have more than one contributing factor. Muscle weakness, poor coordination, stool consistency issues, and nerve signaling disruption often coexist. EMSELLA addresses pelvic floor strength and neuromuscular activation. FREEDOM+ Command Stack retrains coordination and timing. Behavior modification manages stool consistency and reinforces long-term habits. Many patients benefit most from a multi-modal rehabilitation protocol rather than any single intervention. When your clinician assesses your situation, the goal is to identify which components are present and build a protocol that addresses them together. Treating only one factor when two or three are contributing is why many patients have tried dietary changes or exercises alone and found them insufficient.
It becomes more common with age, but it is not something you have to accept. The contributing factors are identifiable and in most cases treatable.
Yes. Conservative management and non-invasive pelvic floor rehabilitation are the recommended first-line approach. Many patients experience meaningful improvement without surgery.
No. EMSELLA sessions are performed fully clothed.
A typical protocol is six sessions over three weeks. Your clinician may recommend additional sessions or combination therapy depending on severity and response.
They often share a common factor: pelvic floor dysfunction. The same treatments that improve bladder control may also improve bowel control. Your clinician will assess both during your evaluation.
We encourage open communication with your primary care provider, but your treatment at ReNueva is confidential. Your clinician can coordinate with your physician if needed.
Book a consultation to discuss your concerns in a confidential, professional setting and create a personalized treatment plan.
Book a Consultation