What is constipation and how to get rid of it

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Even travel or love of meat can lead to toilet troubles.

What is constipation

It is customary to call constipation difficult defecation, in which there are difficulties with emptying the intestines. But one-time problems with going to the toilet, even if they last a day or two, are not constipation. More precisely, not the shape of it that you should worry about.

Doctors say about constipation What Is Constipation? when the stool does not go well for three days or longer. Or if defecation occurs less than three times a week - in this case we are talking about a chronic Constipation - Symptoms and causes condition.

What are the symptoms of constipation

In addition to the duration, constipation can be determined by the accompanying symptoms. As a rule, these are:

• hard stools coming out in small lumps;
• tension during bowel movements;
• feeling as if there is some obstacle in the rectum that interferes with bowel movements;
• feeling that even after a successful trip to the toilet, you have not been able to completely get rid of the contents of the rectum;
• bloating.

When you urgently need to see a doctor

Contact your general practitioner or your health care provider as soon as possible if What Is Constipation?:

• Constipation comes on unexpectedly and is accompanied by bursting pain, abdominal cramps, and a feeling like you can't let out gas
• chronic constipation appeared, at first glance, just like that: you did not change your diet and lifestyle;
• you see blood in the stool coming out;
• against the background of regular constipation, you lose weight, although there seems to be no reason for this;
• every bowel movement is accompanied by pain;
• constipation lasts longer than two weeks;
• the size, shape and consistency of your stool has changed dramatically.

These signs may indicate the presence of a serious illness. To make a diagnosis, your doctor will ask you to do some tests. For example these:

• Blood test for hormone levels. Hormonal disorders such as diabetes and hypothyroidism alter the amount of fluid in the body, which can lead to constipation.
• Tests that will help to find out the condition of the muscles of the anus and the nerve endings that control them. Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, stroke, and spinal cord injuries sometimes affect the ability of the colon and rectum to contract.
• Tests that show how bowel movements move through the large intestine. They allow you to exclude or establish the presence of tumors.
• Colonoscopy is an instrumental examination to look for a blockage in the colon. Helps to diagnose intestinal obstruction, scars on its inner surface, or cancer.

Where does constipation come from

Fortunately, in most cases, constipation, especially one-time constipation, is not associated with dangerous diseases. Here are the most common causes of Harvard Health's Common Causes of constipation.

1. Lack of fluid

Normal stool is approximately 70% water Constipation and Ano-Rectal Insufficiency. If the body lacks moisture, the contents of the intestines become more viscous, clay-like, dry, which leads to constipation.

2. Unbalanced diet

Fiber is essential for normal bowel function. We get it with vegetables, fruits, cereals, whole grain bread, bran. With a shortage of such foods, the expected stool problems arise. Especially if you also lean on baked goods and protein foods, such as meat, sour milk, eggs.

3. Sedentary lifestyle

Lack of physical activity reduces muscle tone - including those directly responsible for regular bowel movements. The more you sit or lie down, the higher your risk of constipation.

4. Aging

Muscle tone decreases with age, and regular constipation is the expected consequence. It is especially important for the elderly to stay physically active.

5. Pregnancy

Expectant mothers often suffer from constipation due to hormonal changes or due to the fact that the enlarged uterus presses on the intestines and makes it difficult for feces to move.

6. Travel

Whether we like it or not, trips, especially protracted ones, disrupt the usual diet and daily routine. Sometimes it can affect bowel function.

7. The habit of ignoring the urge to go to the toilet

If you endure too often (due to a meeting, a friendly meeting, not having a restroom nearby), it can become a habit. The body simply ceases to feel the need to go to the toilet in time. And he calls you there only when the intestines are already full.

Loose feces are a sure way to constipation.

8. Taking some medications

Constipation can be triggered by drugs such as:

• antidepressants;
• sedatives - tranquilizers and sedatives;
• supplements that contain iron;
• antispasmodics;
• diuretics (diuretics);
• anticholinergic (anticholinergic) agents;
• calcium channel blockers;
• anticonvulsants;
• laxatives - if used on a regular basis.

9. Eating disorders

People with anorexia, bulimia, and other eating disorders are not getting the nutrients and moisture they need. The consequence of this is regular constipation.

10. Stress

Especially protracted. He has a multifactorial relationship with constipation. Stress and constipation: What is the link?: stress impairs digestion, and also provokes a person to an unhealthy lifestyle (less sleep, more fast food and snacks on the go, coffee instead of water and the required amount of fluid in general).

How to get rid of constipation

If constipation is a one-time occurrence and there are no symptoms listed above that would make it possible to suspect a particular disease, it is not difficult to overcome it. It is enough to make a few changes to the usual way of life.

• Drink 2-4 additional glasses of water (fruit drink, compote, tea, juices) daily. In this case, in the morning, be sure to drink a glass of warm water.
• Eat vegetables and fruits. For example, make it a habit to eat a salad at lunchtime, and add an apple, a pear, and a handful of dried fruits to breakfast and dinner.
• Eat bran. They are delicious if you add a couple of tablespoons to a glass of low-fat kefir or yogurt. Please note that bran should be abandoned in case of exacerbations of gastritis, ulcers, colitis and infectious enteritis, as well as vitamin deficiency.
• Cut back on meats, dairy products, and caffeinated beverages (coffee, strong tea, energy drinks).
• Never ignore the urge to use the bathroom.
• Train at least three times a week. And be sure to walk every day. The more often you move, the better your muscles feel - including your bowel muscles.

If constipation is a problem and you don't have time to wait for lifestyle changes to work, take a laxative. Many of these products are available over the counter. But still, before buying, you should consult with a therapist or gastroenterologist: he will suggest a more effective and safer drug.