Constipation
Constipation, this common ailment affects people of all ages. It could indicate that you are unable to completely empty your bowels or that you are not passing stools on a regular basis.
Your stools may also be unusually large or small, as well as hard and lumpy due to constipation.
Constipation can be mild or severe depending on the person. Constipation can be a long-term (chronic) condition that affects the quality of life and causes significant pain and discomfort for some people while others only experience it intermittently.
Learn more about constipation symptoms.
What are the 4 types of constipation?
There are four distinct subtypes of chronic constipation:
- dyssynergia defecation (DD),
- normal transit,
- slow transit, and
- slow transit-dyssynergic combination
symptom
Passing stools becomes more difficult and less frequent than usual when you have constipation.
Individuals’ normal bowel habits vary. Some adults use the bathroom more than once per day, while others may only do so once every three to four days. In a similar vein, some infants urinate multiple times per day, while others only do so a few times per week.
It may indicate constipation if you or your child passes stools less frequently than usual.
You might also find it harder to pass stools and feel like you can’t empty your bowels completely. Your stools may appear dry, lumpy, hard, and disproportionately large or small.
Constipation can also cause the following symptoms:
The most common cause of constipation is when stool or waste moves too slowly through the digestive tract or cannot be effectively eliminated from the rectum, which can make the stool hard and dry. There are numerous potential causes of chronic constipation.
cramping in the stomach, feeling bloated, feeling sick, and losing appetite
Children’s constipation includes not only infrequent or irregular bowel movements but also any of the following signs and symptoms:
Appetite loss, lack of energy, irritability, or unhappiness, foul-smelling wind and stools, stomach pain and discomfort, and general unwellness.
What causes of constipation?
Constipation can frequently be difficult to pinpoint. However, the condition is exacerbated by a number of factors, including:
ignoring the urge to pass stools side effects of certain medications not drinking enough fluids anxiety or depression In children, poor diet, fear of using the toilet, and issues with toilet training can all lead to constipation. A change in your routine or lifestyle, such as a change in your eating habits, can also cause constipation.
Blockages in the colon or rectum
Stool movement may be slowed or stopped by obstructions in the rectum or colon. Some of the reasons are as follows:
Anal fissures are tiny skin tears around the anus. Bowel obstruction is a blockage in the intestines. Colon cancer is a narrowing of the colon called a bowel stricture. Other abdominal cancers that press on the colon are rectal cancers. Rectum bulges through the back wall of the vagina.
Problems with the nerves around the colon and rectum
The nerves that cause the muscles in the rectum and colon to contract and move stool through the intestines can be affected by neurological disorders. Some of the reasons are as follows:
Autonomic neuropathy, damage to the nerves that control bodily functions, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injury, and stroke
Difficulty with the muscles involved in the elimination
Constipation that lasts for a long time could be caused by issues with the muscles in the pelvis that control bowel movements. These issues might include:
Anismus is the inability to relax the pelvic muscles to allow for a bowel movement. Dyssynergia is the pelvic muscles’ inability to properly coordinate relaxation and contraction. Weak pelvic muscles.
Conditions that affect hormones in the body
Your body’s fluid balance is maintained by hormones. Constipation can be caused by a number of diseases and conditions that disrupt the hormonal balance, including:
Hyperparathyroidism in diabetes and hypothyroidism in pregnancy are both forms of hyperparathyroidism.
What causes immediate constipation relief?
Increasing your fiber intake, taking a laxative, using a suppository, or taking a stool softener are all home remedies for constipation. Squatting, light exercise, and giving your colon a massage can all be helpful.
How can I avoid constipation?
- Include plenty of high-fiber foods in your diet, including beans, vegetables, fruits, whole-grain cereals, and bran.
- Eat fewer foods with low amounts of fiber such as processed foods, dairy, and meat products.
- Drink plenty of fluids.
- Stay as active as possible and try to get regular exercise.
Which foods cause constipation?
Constipation can be brought on by overindulging in processed foods, high-fat meats, dairy and egg products, sweets, and other foods. Insufficient fluids. Because fiber works better when it is dissolved in water and other fluids, dehydration can result in stools that are harder to pass through.
Risk factors
Some things that could make you more likely to have chronic constipation are:
Having a mental health condition like depression or an eating disorder, being an older adult, being a woman, being dehydrated, eating a diet low in fiber, getting little to no exercise, taking certain medications, such as sedatives, opioid painkillers, some antidepressants, or medications to lower blood pressure
Complications
Chronic constipation can cause the following problems:
Hemorrhoids, swollen veins in your anus. The veins in and around your anus may swell when you strain to have a bowel movement.
Your anus has skin that is torn (anal fissure). The anus can suffer tiny tears if the stool is large or hard.
stool that is unable to be eliminated (fecal impaction). Your intestines may become clogged with hardened stool as a result of chronic constipation.
the part of the intestine that sticks out of the anus (rectal prolapse). A small portion of the rectum may stretch and protrude from the anus when you strain to have a bowel movement.
Prevention
You can avoid developing chronic constipation by following these steps.
Include plenty of beans, fruits, vegetables, whole grain cereals, and bran in your diet to get your fiber fix.
Reduce your intake of dairy, meat, processed foods, and other foods low in fiber.
Get a lot of fluids in.
Attempt to get regular exercise and remain as active as possible.
Attempt to reduce stress.
Don’t shrug off the urge to urinate.
Make an effort to develop a routine for bowel movements, especially after meals.
Ensure that children who begin eating solid foods consume a lot of fiber.
What are the causes and treatment of constipation?
Constipation is common and can be brought on by a variety of things, including dietary habits, medical conditions, and more. The best way to get rid of it is with home remedies like eating more fiber, drinking more water, and exercising regularly.