Constipation may be a condition of the digestive system. The sufferer has onerous fecal matter that area unit troublesome to expel. In most cases, this happens as a result of the colon has absorbed an excessive amount of of the water from the food that's within the colon.
The slower the food moves through your alimentary tract, the additional water the colon can absorb from food. Consequently, the fecal matter become dry and onerous. shitting (emptying the bowels) will become terribly painful, and in some serious cases there is also symptoms of internal organ obstruction. once the constipation is incrediblysevere; once the constipation prevents the passage of fecal matter and gas, it's referred to as constipation.
Causes of constipation
Constipation happens once the colon absorbs an excessive amount of water, or if the muscles within the colonarea unit catching slowly or poorly so the stool moves too slowly and loses a lot of water.
Let's check up on the foremost common causes of constipation:
1) Lack of fiber in diet
It is accepted that individuals whose diets embody an honest amount of fiber area unit considerably lessdoubtless to suffer from constipation. Foods low in fiber area unit high fat foods, like cheese, meats, and eggs. If you consume them, certify you're conjointly consumption enough fruits, vegetables, and whole grains - that area unit made in fiber.
There area unit 2 main kinds of fiber, soluble and insoluble. Soluble dissolves in water, whereas insoluble does not. Fiber can't be digestible. However, soluble fiber is remodeled because it passes through the duct, wherever it'ssoured by microorganism. Soluble fiber absorbs water, and becomes jellylike because it will thus. Insoluble fiber passes through the gut while not ever-changing its kind.
Quite merely, fiber promotes internal organ movements and prevents constipation. Studies have indicated, however, that fiber isn't that helpful in managing constipation, it's higher at preventing it.
2) Physical inactivity
Constipation will occur if somebody becomes too physically inactive. this is often particularly the case if the person is aged
We know that if someone has had to lie in bed for a protracted time, maybe for many days or weeks, his/her risk of getting constipation is considerably inflated. specialists aren't positive why. Some say that physical activity keeps our metabolism high, creating most things in our bodies happen faster. aged individuals tend to possess a a lot ofinactive life, compared to younger, people, and area unit so at higher risk of constipation. Physically activeindividuals area unit a lot of less doubtless to become constipated than inactive individuals.
3) Some medication
It is common for individuals to forget that there area unit lots of medicines which will cause constipation. the foremost common ones are:
Narcotic (opioid) pain medication, like painkiller (Tylenol#3), oxycodone (Percocet), and pain pill (Dilaudid)
Antidepressants, like tricyclic (Elavil) and Imavate (Tofranil)
Anticonvulsants like hydantoin (Dilantin) and carbamazepine (Tegretol) Iron supplements
Calcium channel interference medication like Cardizem (Cardizem) and calcium-channel blocker (Procardia)
Aluminum-containing antacids like Amphojel and Basaljel
Diuretics like Diuril (Diuril)
4) Milk
Some individuals become constipated after they consume milk and farm merchandise.
5) IBS (irritable internal organ syndrome)
People who suffer from IBS get constipation way more often, compared to the remainder of the population.
6) physiological state
Pregnancy brings concerning secretion changes which may create a girl a lot of liable to constipation. Also, thefemale internal reproductive organ might compress the viscus, speed down the passage of the food.
7) Aging
As we have a tendency to grow up our metabolism slows down, leading to less enteral activity. The muscleswithin the duct don't work likewise as they accustomed.
8) A amendment in routine, like once movement
When we travel our traditional routine changes. this may have a bearing on our systema alimentarium, thattypically leads to constipation. Meals area unit devoured at totally different times, we would move to bed, get up, and move to the rest room at totally different times. of these changes might raise the chance of constipation.
9) Overuse of laxatives
We all assume we must always move to the rest room a minimum of once every day - this is often a story. to form positive that happens many folks self-medicate with laxatives merchandise they patronise the pharmacy. Laxatives area unit effective; they are doing facilitate internal organ movements. the matter is that if we have a tendency to keep taking them we have a tendency to step by step need to up the dose for a similar impact. Laxatives may be addictive. after we become keen about them there's a major risk of constipation after we stop taking them.
10) Not progressing to the rest room once you feel the urge to
There may be several reasons for this. maybe we have a tendency to aren't reception and would favor to attenduntil we have a tendency to come back to. it's shocking what number individuals ne'er open their bowelswithin the bogs at work or at college. Others could also be too busy to travel, whereas some individuals do notas a result of emotional stress. kids usually stop going if they're being rest room trained and realize the completeeducational program nerve-wracking. typically kids area unit too busy taking part in and postponeprogressing to the rest room. However, if you ignore the urge to possess a movement, that urge will step by step flee till you not feel the necessity to travel. The longer you delay it, the drier and tougher the stool canbecome.
11) Not drinking enough water (dehydration)
Experts say that if you have already got constipation, drinking a lot of liquids may not relieve it. However, if you often drink lots of water you're less doubtless to become constipated . If you tend to suffer often from constipation you must seriously contemplate increasing your consumption of water. several sodas and drinks containing caffein might cause dehydration and worsen your constipation. Alcohol conjointly dehydrates the bodyand may be avoided if you're constipated , or terribly liable to constipation.
12) issues with the colon, or rectum
Tumors will compress or prohibit the passages and cause constipation. conjointly connective tissue (adhesions),pathology, and abnormal narrowing of the colon or body part (colorectal stricture). individuals with pediatristillness area unit liable to constipation (a anomalousness within which some nerve cells area unit absent within the intestine. The viscus will move stool through, consequently the viscus becomes blocked, inflicting the abdomen to enlarge).
13) Some diseases and conditions
Diseases that tend to abate the movement of the excreta through the colon, rectum, or arsehole area unit a lot ofdoubtless to cause constipation. They embody the following:
- Neurological disorders
MS (Multiple Sclerosis), brain disease, Stroke, medulla spinalis Injuries, Chronic upset enteral Pseudo-Obstruction
- Endocrine and metabolic conditions
Uremia, Diabetes, hypercalcaemia, Poor Glycemic management, gland disease
- Systemic diseases (Diseases that have an effect on variety of organs and tissues, or affects the body as a whole) Lupus, scleroderma, and sickness
- Cancer
Mainly as a result of the medications for pain, and therapy. conjointly if a growth blocks or squeezes the systema alimentarium.
MS (Multiple Sclerosis), brain disease, Stroke, medulla spinalis Injuries, Chronic upset enteral Pseudo-Obstruction
- Endocrine and metabolic conditions
Uremia, Diabetes, hypercalcaemia, Poor Glycemic management, gland disease
- Systemic diseases (Diseases that have an effect on variety of organs and tissues, or affects the body as a whole) Lupus, scleroderma, and sickness
- Cancer
Mainly as a result of the medications for pain, and therapy. conjointly if a growth blocks or squeezes the systema alimentarium.
Treatments for constipation
It is vital to recollect that the need to egest a minimum of once every day may be a story. Constipation happensonce you wish to travel however area unit unable to evacuate the excreta. within the majority of cases, constipation resolves itself with none treatment or risk to health.
The treatment of continual constipation will embody life-style changes. Doing a lot of exercise, consumption a lot of fiber, and drinking a lot of water. Some studies contradict the high fiber advice; a study printed within the yankeeJournal of medical specialty found that the role of dietary fiber to treat chronic constipation is exaggerated. an occasional fiber diet has been well-tried to not be the reason for constipation and also the success of fiber intake as treatment is modest.
Usually, laxatives can with success treat most cases of constipation - however ought to be used with care and only if very necessary. in additional tough cases the person may have a prescription medication. Some individualshave responded well to training program.
It is vital to do to search out out what has caused the constipation is within the 1st place - there may be associate degree underlying unhealthiness or condition. Some individuals with continual constipation use a daily diarywherever they record their internal organ movements, stool characteristics, and different factors which canfacilitate each the doctor and patient devise the simplest treatment.
Some gastroenterologists comment that there area unit those who don't allot enough time for his or her voiding.put aside enough time to permit your rest room visit to be unaccented and uninterrupted, associate degreeddon't ignore an urge to possess a movement.
Over-the-counter laxatives
Only use these laxatives as a final resort. they will be habit forming, as was mentioned above:
- Stimulants - they create the muscles in your intestines contract rhythmically. These embody Correctol, Dulcolax and Senokot.
- Lubricants - they assist the stool move down the colon a lot of simply. These embody oil and Fleet.
- Stool softeners - they rehydrate (moisten) the stool. These embody Colace and Surfak.
- Fiber supplements - these area unit maybe the safest laxatives. they're conjointly referred to as bulk laxatives. These embody FiberCon, Metamucil, Konsyl, Serutan and Citrucel. certify you've got lots of water once you take them.
- Osmotics - they facilitate the movement of fluids through the colon. These embody Cephulac, Sorbitol, and Miralax.
- Saline laxatives - they draw water into the colon. These embody milk of magnesium oxide.
- Choride channel activators - these need a prescription. These embody lubiprostone (Amitiza).
- 5-HT-4 agonists - they increase the secretion of fluid within the intestines, and conjointly speed up the speed atthat food passes through the colon. These embody Prucalopride.
- Relistor was approved by the FDA in April, 2008 for the treatment of opioid-induced constipation. Opioids area unitunremarkably prescribed on endless basis for patients with late-stage, advanced unhealthiness to assist alleviate pain.
If your doctor identifies associate degree underlying disorder {that may|which can|that will} be inflicting your constipation he/she will treat that disorder.
If you've got girdle floor pathology, you will be treated with training program. it's a grooming technique that helps you find out how to coordinate the muscles befittingly so you've got a productive movement.
If the constipation doesn't answer any treatment, as a final resort it'd be recommendable to get rid of a part of the colon. once this happens the difficult segment(s) of the sphincter or body part area unit removed.
How common is constipation?
Among kids
According to analysis dispensed at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, the burden of unhealthiness inkids plagued by constipation, and also the prices related to this condition, area unit roughly of a similarmagnitude as those for respiratory disorder and a spotlight deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). in keeping withresearchers at the University of Iowa, constipation is that the commonest reason for children's abdominal pain.
Adults and other people normally
According to a presentation by Boehringer Ingelheim, information show that 12-tone system of individualsworldwide suffer from self-defined constipation. The figure varies looking on the region; individuals within theAmericas and Asia Pacific suffer doubly the maximum amount as their European counterparts, wherever the incidence of constipation is lowest (Americas and Asia Pacific mean seventeen.3% -v- European mean eight.75%).