Everyone can experience constipation sometime during their life. However, when it starts to become a problem and it’s hard to pass bowel movements, you need to understand why it happens. Mostly, it won’t be serious, although, you may feel better once it returns back to normal.
The lengths between movements of the bowels might vary quite a lot from person to person. For some people, 3 times daily would be normal, yet, others may only have a movement one to two times in a week.
If there is a three-day delay, it may be too long. This is because the feces or stool has already started to get hard, which may make it harder to pass.
Symptoms of constipation
Symptoms and signs of constipation that is chronic may include:
When you pass stools less than 3 times per week.
If your stools are hard or lumpy.
By having to strain to get your bowels to move.
You may feel as if your rectum has a blockage and is preventing your stool to come out.
After you had a bowel movement and you have the feeling that your rectum is not completely empty.
When you need help in emptying the rectum, like using your finger in order to remove the stool out of the rectum, or need to press down on the abdomen with your hands.
This condition can be considered as chronic once you experience more than two of the symptoms, and it lasts for a period of at least 3 months. It’s important to contact the doctor if this happens, or you might experience persistent and unexplained changes within the habits of your bowels.
Causes
Commonly constipation can occur when stool or waste moves very slowly through your digestive tract, and can’t be eliminated from your rectum effectively. Furthermore, it causes them to become dry and hard.
There are a lot of possible reasons for constipation that is chronic.
Blockages within your rectum or colon
This condition can be caused by the following:
Rectocele, which is when the rectum can bulge into your vagina’s wall at the back.
Rectal cancer
Different cancers of the abdomen that press onto your colon.
Bowel stricture/narrowing of your colon.
Colon cancer
Bowel obstruction
Anal fissure
Nerve problems around your rectum and colon
Any problem neurologically could affect your nerves which control the muscles of your rectum and colon. These send signals for contracting in order to move your waste through your intestines.
Reasons for this may include:
Stroke
Spinal cord injuries
Parkinson’s disease
Multiple sclerosis
Autonomic neuropathy
Problems with your muscles that are involved to eliminate stools
Pelvic muscles that are weakened
Dyssynergia – this is when muscles in your pelvic don’t coordinate contraction and relaxation correctly.
Anismus – the inability of pelvic muscles to relax in order to allow movement of your bowels.
Conditions which can affect the hormones within your body
Hormones normally balance the fluids within the body, but conditions and diseases can upset this hormone balance, and cause constipation. These could include:
Hypothyroidism – an underactive thyroid
Pregnancy
Hyperparathyroidism – with an overactive parathyroid gland
Diabetes
Some risk factors that can put you at a higher risk to develop chronic constipation
If you suffer from a mental condition with your health, like eating disorder or depression.
With using specific medications, such as narcotics, sedatives, blood pressure medications or antidepressants.
No or little physical activities
By following a diet that is very low in fiber
Dehydration
Women are at a higher risk
Age
Complications due to chronic constipation
Rectal prolapsed – when your intestines protrude through your anus, usually caused by straining.
Fecal impaction – this is where stools can’t come out and generally accumulates and hardens within the intestines.
Anal fissure – with skin that is torn in the anus and it’s when hard or large stools cause small tears within your anus.
Hemorrhoids – veins that are swollen in the anus caused through a lot of straining.
Treatments
Lifestyle and diet changes
Fiber intake must be increased
Physical activities like exercises need to be done nearly every day
Don’t avoid the urge when having movement or your bowel and take your time.
Laxatives
There are a variety of laxatives, which all works differently in helping you with a movement of the bowels.
Look at some of these that you can get over-the-counter:
Some fiber supplements to add more bulk into your stools, such as Methylcellulose fiber, Calcium Poly-carbophil, and Psyllium.
Some stimulants that may include Senokot, Dulcolax, Bisacodyl, and Correctol, that help intestines in contracting.
Osmotic laxatives in helping fluids moving through your colons, such as Polyethylene glycol, Lactulose, Magnesium citrate, and Magnesium hydroxide.
Lubricants like mineral oils which can enable your stools in moving more easily through the colon.
Softeners for stools like Docusate calcium and sodium, which moisten your stools through drawing some water from your intestines.
Some suppositories and enemas, such as tap water, Sodium phosphate, or soapsuds enemas, which may be very useful in softening the stools to produce movement of your bowels, as well as Bisacodyl or Glycerin Suppositories.
If you experience bowel movement issues, consult your doctor.