feeling of fulness in rectum/urge to defecate after back injury

Hello,  
I'm not even sure if this is the right forum to pose this question but here goes.  In aug 2007 I injured my lower back and had pain issues for several months after.  For about 3 weeks after the accident I had this sensation like I needed to have a bowel movement all the time.
Had MRI done march 2008 and nothing remarkable showed up.

In april 2009 I hurt my back at the gym doing squats and had severe back spasms and again the urge to defecate for a few days.  I started physio which seemed to resolve all the issues

Now 4 days ago I tweaked my back again golfing and tried doing my physio exersizes.  I think I was doing them incorrectly because instead of tensing my stomach muscles I was "bearing down" like when having a bowel movement.  All that night I couldn't sleep because I felt like I was going to lose bowel continence.  This scared the heck out of me and I went tothe doctor who suggested I may need another MRI.  I had one done and, again  it was generally unremarkable; no spinal cord impingment anyway.  My GP suggested it may be from inflammation pressing on the nerves and it would probably go away but if it gets worse or I actually lose bowel control to go to the ER.

Could my symptoms be from the incorrectly done physio exersizes?  Can straining/bearing down cause this kind of persistant sensations?  Can I expect this to go away again like before?    Or should I be talking to a neurologist or someone else? I'm really scared about this.

Thanks for whatever info you can provide.

[Kevin Pho, MD]

I agree with the MRI, and a negative result would make neurological causes of the symptoms, such as spinal stenosis, less likely.

It is possible that a weak pelvic floor, caused by a history of straining, can lead to the GI symptoms.

Or it can be a disease within the colon itself.  For that latter possibility, I would pursue a colonoscopy to exclude any types of mass or cancer.

Seeing both a GI physician and neurologist would not be unreasonable.  I would discuss these options with your personal physician.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin Pho, M.D.

KevinMD.com
Twitter.com/kevinmd