When people hear the term bowel dysfunctionthey often think it just means constipation.
But bowel dysfunction is much more than that.
It describes a group of conditions that affect how your bowels work, including how stool moves through the digestive tract, how well your pelvic floor muscles coordinate during bowel movements, and how completely you can empty your bowels. While these symptoms are common, they are is not a normal part of ageing, childbirth or menopause, and effective treatment is available.
What is Bowel Dysfunction?
Bowel dysfunction refers to conditions that interfere with normal bowel movements or bowel control.
Symptoms may include:
- Chronic constipation
- Excessive strain
- You feel like you never completely empty your bowels
- Bloating or abdominal pressure
- Faecal leakage (faecal incontinence)
- Sudden emergency
- Pain during bowel movements
- Frequent changes in bowel habits
Some women experience only one of these symptoms, while others notice several occurring together.
Why does bowel dysfunction affect women?
Although anyone can experience bowel dysfunction, women often face unique risk factors.
Pregnancy and childbirth can stretch or weaken the pelvic floor muscles. Hormonal changes during menopause can affect pelvic tissues, while conditions such as pelvic organ prolapse can affect normal bowel function.
Other possible causes include:
- Pelvic floor dysfunction
- Slow transit constipation
- Orthocele or other pelvic support disorders
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Drug side effects
- Neurological conditions
Because many of these conditions overlap, identifying the underlying cause is essential to finding the right treatment.
When should you talk to a specialist?
Many women live with bowel symptoms for years because they assume it’s just part of aging or a normal consequence of childbirth.
You should consider the assessment if you are experiencing:
- Constipation that does not improve with diet or fiber
- Frequent strain
- Feeling of incomplete license
- Leaky gut
- Pelvic pressure or weight
- Symptoms that interfere with your daily life
You don’t have to accept these symptoms as “just the way things are.”
Expert care makes the difference
At Maze Women’s Health, bowel dysfunction is evaluated through its lens pelvic floor health.
Rather than focusing solely on the digestive system, our providers evaluate how your bowel symptoms may relate to your pelvic floor muscles, surrounding anatomy, previous childbirth, menopause, urinary symptoms and overall pelvic health.
Depending on your symptoms, your evaluation may include:
- Anorectal manometry
- Balloon ejection test
- Pelvic floor assessment
- Colonic transit studies
- Abfugography
This comprehensive approach helps identify the root cause of your symptoms so treatment can be tailored to your specific needs.
Meet Alyssa Frager, NP
We are excited to welcome Alyssa Frager, NPat Maze Women’s Health.
With extensive experience in gastroenterology, colon surgery and pelvic floor disordersAlyssa specializes in caring for women experiencing chronic constipation, pelvic floor dysfunction, incomplete voiding, fecal incontinence, pelvic pain, and other gut health concerns. He also performs specialized diagnostic tests, including rectal manometry, helping patients receive an accurate diagnosis and personalized treatment plan.
If you want to know more about Alyssa and her background, please read:
➡️ Meet Alyssa Frager, NP: Bringing Expert Bowel and Pelvic Floor Care to Maze Women’s Health
You don’t have to live with gut symptoms
Bowel dysfunction can affect your comfort, confidence and quality of life, but it doesn’t have to.
Whether your symptoms started postpartum, during menopause, or have developed gradually over time, understanding the underlying cause is the first step toward lasting relief.
At Maze Women’s Healthour specialized bowel and pelvic floor program is designed to provide compassionate, personalized care that helps women regain their confidence and improve their quality of life.
If you are experiencing persistent bowel symptoms, schedule a consultation with Maze Women’s Health to learn how Alyssa Frager, NP and our expert team can help.
