Bowel function after spinal cord injury
How the digestive system works
The digestive system includes the mouth, stomach, esophagus, intestines, rectum, and anus. When food or beverages are consumed, they travel through this system until they are eliminated in the form of stool. Normally, messages are sent from the brain through the spinal cord and sacral nerves. The message tells the body that it is time to empty the bowel.
The role of the nervous system in bowel control
When the bowel is full of stool, it stretches and pushes on the area nerves. The nerves send a sensory message from the bowel, through the sacral nerves, and then up through the spinal cord. It is important to eat enough fiber, so the stool has enough bulk to stretch the bowel.
Detecting a full bowel
When this sensory message reaches the cord, part of it begins to loop around in the cord setting off a reflex which causes the bowel to squeeze. The other part of the message travels up to the brain. When it reaches the brain, the urge to have a bowel movement is felt.
Triggering a bowel movement
When the person decides it is the right time to defecate, the message is sent back down the cord, through the sacral nerves all the way to the sphincter muscle, near the anus. The message tells the muscle to open up and let the stool out. If it is not a good time to defecate, the message would then tell the muscle to stay closed until there is a better time to empty.
Related section resources
- Bowel management: Methods and strategies for managing bowel health after a spinal cord injury (SCI).
- Bowel program worksheet: A worksheet to track and plan your bowel program for optimal results.
- Bowel function after injury: How spinal cord injury impacts bowel function and the necessary adaptations for care.
- Bowel care techniques: Techniques to maintain bowel health, prevent complications, and promote regularity.
- Bowel-related complications: Common bowel-related complications and how to prevent or manage them effectively.