Faecal incontinence is a lot more common than you might think with about one in 12 people experiencing it. However, many cases can be treated, generally without surgery.

Faecal incontinence is when you are unable to hold a bowel movement until you can reach a toilet. Healthy bowel control relies on muscles and nerves in your rectum and anus that work together to hold in stool, to send you a signal that the rectum is full and that you need to have a bowel movement, and to relax when you’re ready to allow the stool to release. These healthy muscles are called sphincters, and they close tightly, like rubber bands, around the anus.

Although people can experience faecal incontinence at any age, the typical onset is between the fifth and seventh decade of life. Women, in particular, can sustain injuries to the sphincter muscle or nerves during child birth .