An uncontrolled bowel movement (fecal incontinention) could be normal only in case of severe diarrhea. Otherwise, fecal incontinention is a serious condition probably due to some neurological disorder.





The act of defecation (bowel movement) is controlled by 2 muscles of the pelvic diaphragm: the inner and outer anal sphincter. The inner anal sphincter is not under control of our will. It is closed all the time except during defecation. Its task is to prevent feces leakage until the rectum is completely filed. When the rectum is completely filled, the inner anal sphincter relaxes and peristaltic wave expels the stool out. It is the outer anal sphincter that is controlled by our will. We can constrict and relax it whenever we want. Most of the time we keep the outer sphincter relaxed because the inner anal sphincter is closed and stools can’t go out. When the inner sphincter relaxes and stools are ready to come out (urge for bowel movement) we contract the outer sphincter and keep it contracted until there are social circumstances made for doing bowel movement (people are fairly civilized and they don’t defecate at any time or place). This same mechanism works with urination, too.





Contraction and relaxation of the sphincters is controlled by the nerve system. The inner sphincters are controlled by the reflex centers in the spinal cord and the outer sphincters are controlled by the brain. You can consult a neurologist about the problem with leakage of bowel. Further, you might consider taking birth control pills as long as you don’t intend to have more babies and you don’t experience any side effect from the pills.