Causes and Risk Factors of Fecal Impaction
Chronic and severe constipation can lead to fecal impaction. The problem often occurs in children or in older adults who live in nursing homes. Indeed, a recent observational study of 30,439 people found that 13.4 percent of patients hospitalized for fecal impaction came from nursing homes.
Fecal impaction may also occur in people with neurological conditions, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and those with spinal cord injuries, as these can impact colon motility. It may also be a side effect of certain types of cancer or cancer treatments.
Children may develop a fecal impaction when they withhold stool during toilet training, fear passing stool because of previous pain or discomfort, avoid using the bathroom during play, or don’t drink enough fluids or eat enough fiber. You may hear your doctor refer to the condition as encopresis.
Older adults may develop constipation and fecal impaction if they’re sedentary. Lack of physical activity can make it tough for your digestive system to move stool. Your abdominal muscles may also become so weak that they cannot completely push stool out. In other cases, immobile older adults may be forced to hold stool because caregivers don’t take them to the bathroom regularly, or their colon can’t move stool properly.
Other factors that can contribute to the condition include poor diet and ignoring the need to use the bathroom because of busy schedules or other illnesses.
A few other possible causes include:
- Skimping on drinking fluids
- A diet that’s low in fiber
- Pelvic floor dysfunction
- A history of chronic constipation
- Dependence on laxatives to have a bowel movement
- Medications that reduce intestinal movement, such as narcotic pain medications, iron supplements, or calcium supplements
- A disorder of the large intestine and rectum, such as Hirschsprung’s disease or Chagas disease
- A thyroid condition or another metabolic disorder
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