🧠 Anorectal Biofeedback Therapy

What Is It?

Anorectal Biofeedback Therapy is a non-surgical treatment that helps you train and improve the coordination of muscles used for bowel movements. It is especially useful for people with:

• Chronic constipation
• Difficulty in passing stools (dyssynergia)
• Fecal incontinence (leakage of stool)
• Incomplete evacuation or straining
• Pelvic floor dysfunction

It teaches you how to relax or contract the right muscles using real-time feedback on a monitor.

🧠 Why Is It Done?

Some people have no blockage, but still can't pass stools easily. Others may leak stools without realizing.
This is often due to poor coordination of pelvic muscles — not weakness or laziness — but a muscle control issue.
Biofeedback helps retrain these muscles with guidance, just like physiotherapy for your bowel.

🛠️ How Is It Done?

1. A small, soft sensor (catheter) is placed into the rectum
2. You’ll be asked to perform certain actions like squeezing, pushing, and relaxing
3. A computer screen shows your muscle activity in real time
4. A trained therapist guides you on how to adjust your effort to improve function
5. Over a few sessions, you learn how to coordinate your muscles effectively

⏱️ Each session takes 30–45 minutes
🗓️ Usually done once a week for 4–6 sessions

🧪 What Does It Treat?

📋 What to Expect:

• No pain, cuts, or injections
• Private, comfortable setting
• You remain fully awake and can ask questions anytime
• You’ll be taught home exercises to continue improving between sessions

✅ Benefits of Biofeedback:

• Avoids surgery or long-term medication
• Targets the root cause – muscle coordination
• Improves bowel habits naturally
• Suitable for children, adults, and the elderly
• Long-term relief with practice and consistency

‍♀️ Who Should Consider This Therapy?

• People who strain a lot but still feel blocked
• Those with a sensation of incomplete bowel movement
• Patients with leakage, especially after surgery or childbirth
• If manometry shows dyssynergia or poor sensation

🔔 Good to Know:

• Best results come with regular sessions and follow-up
• No side effects or complications
• Often combined with diet changes, laxatives, and pelvic floor exercises