Right time

The bowel needs to be ‘re-trained’ to empty at a regular and consistent time each day. This will allow some predictability around when the bowels may open. The goal is to re-establish a routine for bowel emptying post-spinal cord injury.

Depending upon pre-injury bowel habits, this includes:

  • how often to attend a bowel routine
  • how long a bowel routine should take

Where to start

A good start is to keep a bowel diary of information, such as:

  • stool type
  • how long the routine takes
  • any unplanned bowel movements
  • types of food and fluids eaten and
  • any changes in the regular routine.

Some factors to consider when choosing a time:

  • Work hours
  • Bowel habit prior to injury – for example, before or after breakfast
  • Availability of toileting facilities and care support

Upper motor neurone bowel injury

  • Daily or second daily is recommended, depending on pre-injury bowel habit.
  • Attending to bowel care 3 times per week or more is recommended
  • An average amount of time can be from 15-45 minutes, but this is reliant on the stool being low down in the bowel.

Lower motor neurone bowel injury

  • Ideally, a lower motor neurone bowel or cauda equina syndrome routine is managed once or twice a day.
  • An average amount of time can be from 15-30 minutes, but this relies on the stool being low down in the bowel.