Incomplete Bowel Evacuation

About the Symptom

Also known as incomplete evacuation. It describes the feeling that you need to pass poop, but can pass only a small amount or no stool at all.

When to See a Doctor

Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms

• Unable to completely empty the bowels

Possible Causes

Generally, Incomplete bowel evacuation can be related to:

• Constipation

  Difficulty passing stool. Constipation can also refer to a decrease in stool quantity (e.g. passing stool every day but only small amounts). It can be caused by various factors, including dietary habits, mobility, illnesses, and medications.

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

  A condition with recurring episodes of abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, and constipation. IBS is diagnosed when no clear cause can be found despite investigations. The exact cause of IBS is unknown, but stress and certain foods are known to cause flare-ups.

• Colon Cancer

  Cancer of the large intestine which is the final part of the digestive tumors. It often grows from non-cancerous polyps in the intestine. Both polyps and colon cancers can be found during colonoscopy (camera test of colon). Symptoms can include blood in stool, diarrhea or constipation or both, or abdominal pain but many times there are no symptoms and the cancer is found on colonoscopy. It can be easily treated in early stages, so the general population is encouraged to get screened with colonoscopy and sometimes stool tests. Risk factors include a family history of colon cancer or polyps, or a personal history of abnormal polyps, low-fiber high-fat diets, some inflammatory bowel diseases, diabetes, obesity, and lack of exercise.

• Infectious enteritis

• Uterine Prolapse
• Ulcerative Colitis
• Pregnancy

Related Serious Diseases

Sometimes, Incomplete bowel evacuation may be related to these serious diseases:

• Bowel obstruction

  This happens when the intestines are blocked, for example, by tumors or scar tissue from past surgeries. Quick medical attention is necessary.

• Diverticulitis
• Acute Appendicitis

Doctor's Diagnostic Questions

Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:

• Do you feel like you haven't fully emptied your bowels?
• How long have you had difficulty fully emptying your bowels?
• Have you experienced difficulty fully emptying your bowels before?
• How has the feeling of incomplete bowel emptying changed since it started?

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References

• Bharucha AE, Wald AM. Anorectal disorders. Am J Gastroenterol. 2010 Apr;105(4):786-94. doi: 10.1038/ajg.2010.70. PMID: 20372131; PMCID: PMC3923303.

  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3923303/