Bowel dysfunction occurs in 45–69% of people with
multiple sclerosis (MS).1 However, despite the high
prevalence, a Cochrane Review on the ‘Management
of faecal incontinence and constipation in adults with
central neurological diseases’ reported there was
remarkably little research in this area, and concluded
that ‘no recommendations could be drawn for bowel
management which must remain empirical’.2
Constipation is an unpleasant and often distressing
condition, and within the MS population can affect
patients at anytime during the disease process.3
Although rarely life threatening, the distress associated
with constipation can affect the overall well-being of a
patient, with symptom severity correlating negatively