Constipation - It Affects Almost Everyone!

By Richard H Ealom


INTRODUCTION: Constipation is defined as having a bowel movement fewer than three times per week and is one of the most common gastrointestinal complaints in the United States. It is a symptom, not a disease and occurs when the colon absorbs too much water or if the colons muscle contractions are slow or sluggish, causing the stool to move through the colon too slowly. It affects almost everyone at one time or another.

FIBER: The most frequent causes of constipation are a diet low in fiber or a diet high in fats, such as cheese, eggs, and meats. People who consume a high-fiber diet are less likely to become constipated. Fiber can't be digested, so it aids cleaning out the intestines by moving the bowels along, while a diet full of fatty, sugary, or starchy foods can slow the bowels down.

LAXATIVES: Self-treatment with over-the-counter (OTC) drugs is by far the most common aid. Even though people may get relief when they use laxatives, typically they must increase the dose over time because the body grows dependent on laxatives in order to have a bowel movement. As a result,laxatives may become habit-forming. The majority of people who are mildly constipated do not need them. For children, short-term treatment with laxatives, along with re-training to establish regular bowel habits, aids in preventing constipation.

However, for those who have made diet and lifestyle changes and are still constipated, a physician may suggest laxatives or enemas for a limited time. For the majority, stopping laxatives restores the colons natural ability to contract.

SYMPTOMS: Depending on your diet, age and daily activities, regular bowel movements can mean anything from three bowel movements per day to one every three days. The symptoms are key to helping the physician determine a diagnosis and treatment. Extensive testing usually is reserved for people with severe symptoms, for those with sudden changes in the number and consistency of bowel movements or blood in the stool, and older adults.

TREATMENTS: Although treatment depends on the cause, severity, and length of time of the constipation, in most cases dietary and lifestyle alterations will help relieve symptoms and help prevent them from coming back. If an underlying disorder is the problem, treatment will be aimed toward the specific cause. Above all, it is necessary to recognize that a successful treatment program needs persistent effort and time.

CONCLUSION: Constipation is the rare and difficult passage of stool and can lead to complications, such as hemorrhoids produced by extreme straining or fissures created by the hard stool stretching the sphincters. It is a common symptom, but it often remains unrecognized until the person develops sequelae, such as anorectal disorders or diverticular disease. It is the end effect of a number of factors: poor diet, not exercising, motility abnormalities, and anatomic defects, along with the patient's expectations and psychological factors.

In children it is frequently diet-related, particularly toddlers who are being switched from formula feeds to milk. It is a symptom rather than a disease and is the most common digestive complaint in the United States. Constipation does not occur overnight, and it is not reasonable to expect that it can be relieved overnight.

About the Author:
Richard H. Ealom has written many articles on Diseases,Causes,Cures. Learn about natural remedies for Constipation that work by visiting the Discover How You Can Eliminate Constipation! website. You may use this article as long as you leave this box unchanged

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