Overview
Constipation is defined as infrequent bowel motions or difficult feces transit that lasts for several weeks or longer.
Constipation is defined as a lack of more than three bowel motions per week.
Though constipation is quite frequent, some people suffer from chronic constipation, which can make it difficult to go about their everyday lives. Chronic constipation can also cause people to strain unnecessarily in order to pass gas.
Chronic constipation treatment is influenced by the underlying reason. In rare situations, though, a reason is never discovered.
Symptoms
Chronic constipation can cause the following signs and symptoms:
I’m only passing three stools a week.
Stools that are lumpy or firm.
I’m squeezing my bowel movements as hard as I can.
Feeling as if your rectum is blocked, preventing you from bowel motions.
Feeling as if you can’t entirely empty your rectum of stool.
Needing assistance to empty your rectum, such as pressing on your abdomen with your hands and removing stool from your rectum with a finger.
If you’ve had two or more of these symptoms in the last three months, you may have chronic constipation.
When should you see a doctor?
If you have inexplicable and persistent changes in your bowel movements, make an appointment with your doctor.
Causes
Constipation is caused by waste or stool moving too slowly through the digestive tract or being unable to be adequately removed from the rectum, causing the stool to become hard and dry. Constipation can be caused by a variety of factors.
Colon or rectum obstructions
Stool movement may be slowed or stopped due to obstructions in the colon or rectum. The following are some of the causes:
The skin around the anus has a few little tears in it (anal fissure)
An obstruction in the intestines (bowel obstruction)
Colon cancer is a type of cancer that affects the
The colon is narrowing (bowel stricture)
Other cancers of the abdomen that press towards the colon
Cancer of the rectal mucosa
Rectum bulges through the vaginal back wall (rectocele)
Nerve problems in the area of the colon and rectum
The nerves that cause the muscles in the colon and rectum to contract and move stool through the intestines might be affected by neurological issues. The following are some of the causes:
Nerve damage that controls body functioning (autonomic neuropathy)
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease that affects people
Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disorder that affects people.
Stroke
Having trouble with the muscles that are involved in elimination
Chronic constipation can be caused by issues with the pelvic muscles involved in bowel movement. These issues could include:
Inability to relax the pelvic muscles sufficiently to allow for bowel movement (anismus)
Pelvic muscles that don’t have a good balance of relaxation and contraction (dyssynergia)
Muscles in the pelvis have weakened.
Conditions that alter the body’s hormones
Hormones aid in the regulation of body fluids. Constipation can be caused by a variety of diseases and disorders that disrupt the hormone balance, such as:
Diabetes
The parathyroid gland is overactive (hyperparathyroidism)
Thyroid dysfunction (hypothyroidism)
Factors that are at risk
Chronic constipation can be caused by a number of factors, including:
Being a senior citizen
Being a woman is a unique experience.
Being dehydrated is a problem.
Consuming a fiber-deficient diet
Physical exercise is minimal or non-existent.
Taking some medications, such as sedatives, opioid pain relievers, antidepressants, or blood pressure meds
Suffering from a mental illness, such as depression or an eating disorder
Complications of Constipation
Chronic constipation has a number of side effects, including:
Veins swollen in your anus (hemorrhoids). Straining to pass gas might lead to swelling in the veins in and around your anus.
Your anus has ripped skin (anal fissure). Small tears in the anus might be caused by a large or hard stool.
Stool that won’t go away (fecal impaction). Chronic constipation can result in an accumulation of tough feces in your intestines.
Protruding intestine from the anus (rectal prolapse). When you strain to produce a bowel movement, a little portion of your rectum may extend and protrude from the anus.
Prevention of Constipation
The following tips will assist you in avoiding persistent constipation.
Beans, vegetables, fruits, whole grain cereals, and bran are all high-fiber foods to include in your diet.
Reduce your intake of low-fiber foods, such as processed foods, dairy, and animal items.
Drink a lot of water.
Maintain as much activity as possible and make an effort to exercise on a daily basis.
Attempt to control your tension.
If you have a strong desire to pass feces, don’t ignore it.
Try to stick to a regular bowel movement pattern, especially after a meal.
Make sure that children who are starting to eat solid foods have plenty of fiber.
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