Reduced ability to control bowel movements due to weakness or damage of the anal sphincter muscles.
Medical records that document your diagnosis, treatment history, and how your bowel program is working are central to this rating. Records showing what your bowel program includes — such as digital stimulation, medications beyond laxatives, or a physician-prescribed special diet — help establish the 30%, 60%, and 100% levels. Records noting whether the program provides full control, partial control, or no control are directly tied to what separates those three levels.
Documented frequency of accidents matters at every level. Treatment notes, gastroenterology or primary care records, and surgical records can show how often incontinence occurs and whether pads are required. Records of any surgery related to sphincter control are relevant to the 60% and 100% criteria. Statements from you describing how often accidents happen, whether you change or wear a pad, and how symptoms affect your daily activities can support the documented clinical picture. A note that you are currently asymptomatic, despite a past history of sphincter loss, would support the 0% level.
Conditions that are often caused or made worse by this one. If you have any of these, they may be claimable as secondary service connection.
