Ordinarily, your general practice or healthcare centre will be the first place to go to. You can talk to your family doctor or practice nurse or go to a well-man or well-woman clinic if it's offered.

Women can talk to a gynaecologist about pelvic floor exercises and maintaining good continence control, especially during pregnancy and after childbirth.

If you need a home visit, your general practice can send a healthcare professional, such as your GP or a community nurse.

During this first visit your symptoms will be assessed.

If you are experiencing mild symptoms your GP or nurse practitioner may decide to advise and help you with appropriate diet, exercises and possibly medications.

Referrals

Or they may refer you to a physiotherapist or continence care clinic where a specialist healthcare professional will assess your symptoms and help you with treatments. This could be a specialist physiotherapist or a continence nurse.

If you're pregnant or have a pregnancy-related problem, you might be referred to a gynaecologist or obstetrician.

If your problem stems from your gut itself, your doctor will send you to a gastroenterologist.

If you require surgery, you'll see a surgeon such as a colorectal surgeon.

Overview of specialties

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General practice (family doctor)

• Royal College of General Practitioners
  

Nursing and continence care

Continence nurses and colorectal nurse specialists work both in hospitals and community and can do assessments and provide help with diet, exercise and some treatments.

• Burdett Institute of Gastrointestinal Nursing
• Royal College of Nurses
• Wound Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society.

Exercise and diet

Physiotherapist and specialist physiotherapist are specialists who can help with specific exercises for the pelvic muscles and with advice on daily exercise routines.

Dietitians and nutritionists can give specialist and general diet and nutrition advice and plans.

• The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy: Incontinence page
• British Dietetic Association
• British Nutrition Foundation

Older people's medicine

Geriatricians specialise in care for older people.

• British Geriatrics Society
• Royal College of Physicians: About Geriatric Medicine specialty

Pregnancy and childbirth, gynecology

Women will see a gynaecologist and obstetrician during their pregnancy, both of whom can help with continence care advice and assessment.

• Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

Specialist healthcare professionals

These specialties are gastroenterology, proctology and colorectal surgery.

• British Society of Gastroenterology
• Royal College of Surgeons/About Gastroenterology
• Association of Coloproctologists of Great Britain and Ireland