Anus or rectum is that part of the body involved in expelling waste particles in the form of feces. Foods that we eat are absorbed in the intestine and further sent down to large intestine for separating nutrients and salts. Then kidney swings into action in the process of separating waste particles from the food and pushing the waste materials into the anus region and bladder to be expelled in the form of stool and urine respectively.
Anal leakage is an embarrassing problem among old aged people. It is also called as fecal incontinence wherein the stool particles would leak uncontrollably before you use the toilet. Certain medical conditions like gastroenteritis, diabetes neuropathy, chronic constipation and hemorrhoids can cause anal leakage. Anal leakage does not always mean that it should be fecal particles, but it can be mucus or fluids or even blood. Once the root cause of the problem is identified, anal leakage can be managed through conservative measures, diet control and medications.
What Causes Anal Leakage :
Anal leakage can also occur in adults and youngsters due to some medical problems. Loss of bowel control may vary from mild leakage to complete bowel release. It is certainly embarrassing for the affected person to soil their undergarments in public places. Fecal incontinence can be caused due to gastroenteritis problem, constipation (chronic), hemorrhoids, inflammatory bowel disorder and certain deformities in the rectum/anus area. Women can get this problem after childbirth which can be resolved by pelvic exercises.
Nerves present in the rectum may not send signals properly to the brain indicating that you need to shit. This condition can be caused due to diabetic neuropathy or spine injury or after surgery. Fluid or mucus discharge from the anus can be due to anal fissure, celiac disease, diverticulitis or even colorectal cancer. Some people would mistake fluid discharge from genitals to be of anal origin. Any ulcerous growth on the rectum or hemorrhoids or food intolerance problem can also cause mucus discharge from the anus.