Treat Your Faecal Incontinence Treatment

Faecal Incontinence Treatment: Symptoms, Causes, and Your Safest Possible Options From Direct Incontinence Kingston upon Hull

Faecal incontinence, sometimes called bowel incontinence, is the involuntary leakage of stool or mucus. It can involve small amounts of staining or soiling, leakage of liquid stool, or loss of solid stool.

It can be difficult to talk about, but it shouldn’t be dismissed or accepted without assessment.

There is also no single treatment that suits everyone.

Faecal incontinence can have several contributing factors, including changes in stool consistency, bowel habits, pelvic-floor function, anal sphincter function, nerve function and conditions affecting the bowel or rectum.

That is why treatment usually starts with identifying what may be contributing to the leakage.

What Can Cause Faecal Incontinence?

Faecal incontinence is a symptom rather than one single disease.

The mechanisms involved in continence are complex. The consistency of the stool, the rectum’s ability to store its contents, the anal sphincter, pelvic-floor muscles and nervous-system control all have a role.

Possible contributing factors include:

• persistent diarrhoea or loose stools.
• constipation and difficulty emptying the bowel.
• damage to the anal sphincter.
• pelvic-floor muscle dysfunction.
• nerve damage.
• childbirth-related injury.
• previous surgery or injury.
• rectal prolapse.
• inflammatory or other bowel conditions.
• neurological or spinal conditions.
• difficulty reaching the toilet because of mobility or other problems.

NICE specifically advises healthcare professionals not to assume that faecal incontinence has one simple cause. A focused assessment is recommended before selecting treatment.

Know More About Our EMS Seat as an option From Direct Incontinence Kingston upon Hull.

Comparing Treatment Approaches for Faecal Incontinence

Treatment Approach	How It Is Used	Evidence / Clinical Role	Potential Value	Important Considerations
EMS / Electromagnetic Pelvic-Floor Stimulation	Chair-based external stimulation intended to produce pelvic-floor muscle contractions while the person remains seated and clothed.	Evidence specifically for faecal incontinence is limited. A small study of extracorporeal magnetic stimulation reported improvements in symptoms and quality-of-life measures after 8 weekly treatments.	Provides a non-invasive way of stimulating the pelvic-floor region without an internal electrode.	Research used a specific magnetic-stimulation device and protocol. The findings should not automatically be applied to every EMS system, and the study did not demonstrate significant improvement in several anorectal manometry measures.
Diet and Bowel Management	Dietary changes, bowel-routine adjustments and management of stool consistency are tailored to the person’s symptoms.	An important part of initial management because loose stools, constipation and difficulty emptying the bowel can all contribute to faecal incontinence.	May make bowel movements more predictable and improve control where stool consistency or bowel habits contribute to leakage.	There is no single diet that suits everyone. Changes should be guided by symptoms rather than unnecessary food restriction.
Medication	Medication may be used to address contributing bowel symptoms, such as loose stools, when clinically appropriate.	NICE recommends considering antidiarrhoeal medication such as loperamide for faecal incontinence associated with loose stools after relevant causes have been considered.	Can help improve stool consistency and reduce the frequency of bowel movements in selected cases.	Medication is not appropriate for every cause of faecal incontinence and should be selected according to the individual’s bowel symptoms and medical circumstances.
Pelvic-Floor Muscle Training	A tailored programme of exercises for the pelvic-floor and anal-sphincter muscles, usually guided by an appropriately trained professional.	Included in NICE specialist management for people whose faecal incontinence persists after initial management.	Can help people work on muscle control, coordination and continence-related function.	Correct technique and regular participation matter. The programme should be adapted to the person’s symptoms and physical ability.
Biofeedback	Uses feedback about muscle activity to help a person understand and improve pelvic-floor or anal-sphincter contractions.	Used as part of specialist management for selected people with persistent faecal incontinence.	May help with awareness and technique when someone has difficulty identifying or controlling the relevant muscles.	It is not a universal solution and should be selected according to the individual’s assessment and ability to participate.
Rectal Irrigation	Uses water introduced into the rectum to help empty the bowel in a controlled way.	A specialist management option for selected people when conservative measures have not provided adequate control.	Can help establish a more predictable bowel-emptying routine for some people.	Requires instruction and an appropriate assessment before use. It is not suitable for everyone.
Sacral Nerve Stimulation	Uses an implanted device to deliver electrical stimulation to the sacral nerves involved in bowel control.	A specialist option for selected people with persistent faecal incontinence after appropriate conservative management.	Provides a form of neuromodulation for people who meet the criteria for specialist treatment.	Requires specialist assessment, an implanted device and ongoing follow-up. It is not appropriate for everyone.
Anal Sphincter Repair	Surgical repair of a damaged anal sphincter in carefully selected patients.	Considered by specialist teams when there is an appropriate structural problem and other management options have been considered.	Addresses a structural sphincter defect rather than simply stimulating the pelvic-floor muscles.	Requires surgery and specialist assessment. Suitability depends on the nature of the sphincter damage and the person’s circumstances.
Note: Treatment for faecal incontinence should be based on an assessment of the person’s symptoms, bowel habits and possible underlying causes. EMS or magnetic stimulation should not be presented as a replacement for established assessment and management. Evidence for electromagnetic stimulation specifically in faecal incontinence remains limited.

How Is Faecal Incontinence Assessed?

Assessment usually begins with a discussion about the symptoms and bowel habits.

A healthcare professional may ask about:

• how often leakage occurs
• whether the leakage involves gas, liquid stool or solid stool
• bowel frequency
• stool consistency
• urgency
• constipation or difficulty emptying the bowel
• previous childbirth, surgery or injury
• medicines and medical conditions
• how the symptoms affect daily life

A physical examination may also be appropriate.

The NHS notes that assessment can include an abdominal examination and, where appropriate, a rectal examination. Depending on the circumstances, further tests or a specialist referral may be needed.

This matters because treating stool consistency or constipation, for example, differs greatly from treating a confirmed anal sphincter injury.

What Treatments Are Available?

Treatment depends on what the assessment identifies.

The first stage may involve several measures rather than one intervention.

Diet and Stool Management

The consistency of the stool can have a direct effect on continence.

Very loose stool can be difficult to retain, while constipation and incomplete bowel emptying can also contribute to leakage.

NICE recommends working towards an appropriate stool consistency and predictable bowel emptying, taking the person’s existing diet and medical circumstances into account.

A food and fluid diary may sometimes help identify patterns.

Changing one food or dietary factor at a time can make it easier to understand whether it is contributing to symptoms.

Medication

Medication may be useful when loose stools or another bowel problem is contributing to faecal incontinence.

NICE recommends considering antidiarrhoeal medication such as loperamide for faecal incontinence associated with loose stools once other possible causes have been addressed.

Medication should be selected according to the individual’s circumstances rather than taken simply because leakage is present.

Pelvic-Floor Muscle Training

Pelvic-floor muscle training can form part of the management of faecal incontinence.

The aim is not simply to perform a large number of contractions. A suitable programme should be based on the person’s assessment and should address the muscles involved in continence.

NICE recommends that pelvic-floor training programmes are tailored to the individual and supervised by an appropriately trained healthcare professional, with progress assessed during the programme.

Biofeedback

Biofeedback gives a person information about muscle activity while they perform pelvic-floor or anal-sphincter exercises.

This can help some people understand whether they are contracting the appropriate muscles and how effectively they are doing so.

Research into biofeedback has produced mixed findings across different studies, but it remains part of specialist management for selected people with faecal incontinence.

Bowel Retraining

Some people benefit from establishing a more predictable bowel routine.

Bowel retraining may form part of specialist management, particularly where bowel habits are irregular or neurological problems affect bowel control.

The approach depends on the individual’s symptoms and underlying condition.

Specialist Procedures and Surgery

When conservative management does not provide sufficient control, specialist options may be considered.

Depending on the cause, these can include rectal irrigation, nerve stimulation or surgery.

NICE recommends specialist assessment before moving to these approaches because the appropriate procedure depends on the person’s anatomy, symptoms and previous treatment.

Where Does Electromagnetic Stimulation Fit?

Incontinence Direct provides a private mobile service using electromagnetic pelvic-floor stimulation.

The treatment is delivered through a chair-based system while the customer remains seated and clothed.

The stimulation is intended to produce pelvic-floor muscle activity.

There is, however, an important evidence distinction for faecal incontinence.

Research on electromagnetic or magnetic stimulation of the pelvic floor does exist, but the evidence is considerably more limited than the evidence for established conservative management. Studies have also used different devices, terminology and treatment protocols.

For that reason, research involving one magnetic or electromagnetic system should not automatically be presented as proof that another EMS chair treats faecal incontinence.

What Does the Research Say About Magnetic Stimulation for Faecal Incontinence?

One published study specifically examined extracorporeal magnetic stimulation in people with faecal incontinence.

Thirty participants received one treatment each week for eight weeks following specialist assessment. The study reported improvements in faecal-incontinence scores, leakage measures and quality-of-life measures after treatment.

There was an important limitation, however: the study did not find statistically significant changes in several anorectal manometry measurements, including resting pressure and maximum voluntary contraction.

It was also a small study using a particular magnetic-stimulation device and protocol.

The findings therefore provide an interesting area for further research rather than establishing that any EMS chair will produce the same result.

That distinction is especially important when a commercial service is being compared with published research.

Is There Evidence Specifically for HIFEM and Faecal Incontinence?

The evidence is much less developed than the research base for urinary incontinence.

HIFEM has been studied extensively enough in urinary incontinence to produce systematic reviews, but those findings cannot simply be transferred to faecal incontinence.

There has also been research planning around the use of the BTL EMSELLA chair for faecal incontinence. However, the ClinicalTrials.gov record for one randomised pilot study reports an enrolment of zero participants.

That means the trial record cannot be used as evidence that the treatment improved faecal incontinence.

The distinction between research being planned and research demonstrating an outcome is important.

Can an EMS Chair Cure Faecal Incontinence?

A cure should not be promised.

Faecal incontinence can result from several different problems, and electromagnetic stimulation would not be expected to address every possible cause.

For example, someone with persistent diarrhoea may need treatment directed towards the bowel condition or stool consistency. Someone with a significant anal sphincter defect may require specialist assessment of the structural problem.

An EMS chair may be something a person chooses to explore after understanding their symptoms and the available treatment options, but it should not be presented as a universal treatment or replacement for specialist care.

How Does EMS Differ From Conventional Pelvic-Floor Training?

With conventional pelvic-floor muscle training, the person deliberately contracts and relaxes the relevant muscles.

With chair-based electromagnetic stimulation, the treatment equipment generates stimulation intended to produce muscle contractions while the person remains seated.

These are different methods.

Pelvic-floor training has an established role in faecal incontinence management and is specifically included within NICE’s specialist-management recommendations.

Electromagnetic stimulation is a separate treatment approach with a more limited evidence base for faecal incontinence.

What Happens During an EMS Session?

During the Incontinence Direct service, the customer remains seated and clothed while the electromagnetic stimulation is delivered through the chair.

The treatment is externally delivered.

The precise sensation and treatment settings depend on the equipment and how the service is delivered.

It would be inappropriate to describe the session as delivering a guaranteed number of “Kegel exercises” or to suggest that a particular number of machine-generated contractions is equivalent to a particular amount of voluntary exercise.

A machine-generated contraction and a voluntarily performed pelvic-floor exercise are not interchangeable measurements.

Who Should Consider Assessment Before Treatment?

Medical or specialist assessment is particularly important when faecal incontinence is:

• new or unexplained
• becoming more frequent
• associated with persistent diarrhoea
• associated with significant constipation
• accompanied by blood in the stool
• associated with severe abdominal or rectal symptoms
• occurring after an injury or surgery.
• associated with neurological or spinal symptoms.
• accompanied by a noticeable change in bowel habits

NICE recommends addressing potentially treatable underlying conditions before progressing through the management pathway.

When Should You Speak to a GP?

You do not need to wait until faecal incontinence becomes severe before asking for help.

A GP can discuss the symptoms, assess possible contributing factors and decide whether further investigation or referral is appropriate.

The NHS advises seeking medical help for bowel incontinence because the cause must be established before selecting the most appropriate treatment.

If there is blood in the stool, unexplained changes in bowel habits, persistent diarrhoea or constipation, or another concerning symptom, assessment becomes particularly important.

Frequently Asked Questions: Faecal Incontinence Treatment Kingston upon Hull

Choosing the Right Approach

There is no single treatment pathway for faecal incontinence.

For one person, improving stool consistency may make the biggest difference. Another may need pelvic-floor rehabilitation and biofeedback. Someone with a structural sphincter problem may need specialist investigation, while people whose symptoms remain troublesome despite conservative management may be considered for specialist procedures.

Electromagnetic stimulation is another area being investigated. A small study of extracorporeal magnetic stimulation reported improvements in faecal-incontinence symptoms, but the evidence is not strong enough to support a universal treatment claim.

Incontinence Direct provides a private mobile electromagnetic pelvic-floor stimulation service for people who want to explore this approach.

Consider the service in the context of the individual’s symptoms and existing treatment options, not as a replacement for diagnosis or specialist assessment.

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Sources & Further Reading

NHS — Bowel incontinence

NICE — Faecal incontinence in adults: management (CG49)

PubMed — Effects of Extracorporeal Magnetic Stimulation in Faecal Incontinence

PubMed — Biofeedback and/or sphincter exercises for the treatment of faecal incontinence in adults

PubMed — Efficacy of Supervised Pelvic Floor Muscle Training and Biofeedback vs Attention-Control Treatment in Adults With Faecal Incontinence

ClinicalTrials.gov — BTL Emsella Chair Versus Sham for the Treatment of Faecal Incontinence

Medical Information Notice

This article provides general information and does not diagnose faecal incontinence or replace advice from a GP, continence service or other appropriately qualified healthcare professional.

Research involving magnetic or electromagnetic stimulation relates to specific devices, treatment protocols and patient groups. Evidence from one system should not automatically be interpreted as evidence for another.

Individual suitability and outcomes vary.

Last Reviewed: September 2026 | Incontinence Driect Kingston upon Hull Editorial Team