Constipation

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Sources of fiber

Digestive system organs

Overview

Treatment

Constipation

Definition:

Constipation refers to infrequent or hard stools, or difficulty passing stools. Constipation may involve pain during the passage of a bowel movement, inability to pass a bowel movement after straining or pushing for more than 10 minutes, or no bowel movements after more than 3 days. Infants who are still exclusively breastfed may go 7 days without a stool.

Alternative Names:

Irregularity of bowels; Lack of regular bowel movements

Considerations:

Constipation is a relative term. Normal patterns of bowel elimination vary widely from person to person and you may not have a bowel movement every day. While some healthy people have consistently soft or near-runny stools, others have consistently firm stools, but no difficulty passing them.

When the stool is hard, infrequent, and requires significant effort to pass, you have constipation. The passage of large, wide stools may tear the mucosal membrane of the anus, especially in children. This can cause bleeding and the possibility of an anal fissure.

Common Causes:

Constipation is most often caused by a low-fiber diet, lack of physical activity, not drinking enough water, or delay in going to the bathroom when you have the urge to defecate. Stress and travel can also contribute to constipation or other changes in bowel habits.

Other times, diseases of the bowel (such as irritable bowel syndrome), pregnancy, certain medical conditions (like an underactive thyroid or cystic fibrosis), mental health problems, neurological diseases, or medications may be the reason for your constipation. More serious causes, like colon cancer, are much less common.

Constipation in children often occurs if they hold back bowel movements when they aren't ready for toilet training or are afraid of it.

References:

National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Constipation page. Available at: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/constipation/index.htm. Accessed March 23, 2005.

Bleser S, Brunton S, Carmichael B, Older K, Rasch R, Steele J. Management of chronic constipation: Recommendations from a consensus panel. J Fam Pract. 2005 Aug;54(8):691-8.

Rao SS. Constipation: evaluation and treatment. Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2003; 32(2): 659-683.

Review Date: 6/16/2005
Reviewed By: John Goldenring, M.D., M.P.H., Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital, San Diago, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2004 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.