Common Causes of Oily Diarrhea

Any type of bowel incontinence can be highly distressing. This is often the case when the patient realizes that they have oily diarrhea.While there are many different reasons for oily diarrhea it is important to manage the problem while seeking out treatment. This can be done most effectively with the use of the right type of incontinence products. There is a wide variety of incontinence products that can help patients who are dealing with oily diarrhea. These incontinence products range from adult diapers to incontinence undergarments (often referred to as incontinence underwear), that can be worn with or without incontinence pads. All of these incontinence supplies can be bought from sites that sell adult incontinence products online. For help and guidance in selecting incontinence products please visit The Incontinence Product Finder.

While it can be difficult to deal with this condition. It is important to know that there are several different causes for oily diarrhea that range from serious to the not so serious. The most common causes of oily diarrhea are-

Medication-There are several different types of medication that can bring on oily diarrhea. From weight loss pills to certain medications that treat stomach and pancreas conditions taking these meds can bring this on. In addition, to having oily diarrhea you may find that you also have oily spotting, complete bowel incontinence, higher fecal urgency and an increased frequency in the number of times of defecation. Many times the doctor can simply change the type of medication that the patient is on and the oily diarrhea is reduced or eliminated.

Food-It may be a surprise that many incidences of oily diarrhea are food related. This is especially true for people who have a high consumption of fish. In addition, to being oily, patients with food related oily diarrhea may also found that their diarrhea is waxy and orange. The medical name for this is keriorrhea. The most common types of fish to cause this are the oil fish and Escolar. These fish are most often caught when someone is tuna fishing. The high wax content within the fish builds up in the person eating it and eventually brings on the oily diarrhea.

Medical conditions-This is often the reason for the most serious cases of oily diarrhea. Some of the conditions that can bring on oily diarrhea include but are not limited to: cystic fibrosis, Celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, acute or chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. All of these are serious and sometimes life threatening conditions. Because of this anyone who is experiencing oily diarrhea should seek out a medical evaluation right away.

Because of the intimate nature of this problem many people are embarrassed and even ashamed to talk about this with their health care provider. This is a serious mistake. You should never let your emotions determine if you seek out medical care. As with any other medical issue the sooner your doctor can reach a diagnosis the sooner you can begin treatment that will resolve not only the underlying issue but the oily diarrhea that is causing bowel incontinence.

While you are waiting for treatment to work it is imperative to choose the right incontinence product to meet your needs. There are incontinence products for men and incontinence products for women that are designed to help you deal with any aspect of bowel incontinence and allow you to return to your normal activities. You can find all of these and more at sites that sell adult incontinence products.