Constipation - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Constipation is a symptom, not a disease. . .Constipation causes, prevention, and treatment will help most people find relief. Constipation also called a irregularity that is a State of the digestive system where a person (or animal) experiences hard feces .constipation are difficult to eliminate . constipation is the meaning of the different thing of the many people.types of constipation probably is different, and the approach to each should be tailored to the specific type of constipation.Some people believe that a stool must have a certain color or consistency not so.

Constipation can arise from such organic causes as a debilitating infection or a thyroid or adrenal gland disorder-and there will then be other symptoms. When stools become thin and pencil-like and the change is accompanied by weight loss, a bowel tumor may be present. In the late stages of pregnancy, pressure of the fetus on the large bowel may produce constipation. when constipation is accompanied by swelling of the abdomen and abdominal pain, bowel obstruction is possible.

Severe constipation is defined as less than one bowel movement per week..ome type constipation is temporary and those are not serious in our life There is no medical reason to have a bowel movement every day. Going without a bowel movement for two or three days does not cause physical discomfort, only mental distress for some people. constipation at some point in their life, and a poor diet typically is the cause.

Constipation is none of the most common human complaints-not always justified, often misunderstood and mistreated, only occasionally associated with a serious organic problem. It is even variously defined. Many people believethat a daily bowel movementis normal and essential. It may be normal for some people but is not necessarily essential: some people go through life having no more than two, three, or four movementsa week and have no problems-and don't consider that they do, nor do physicians. Certainly, if you have any reason to suspectan organic cause, you should seea physician for a rectal examination and a visual examination of the lower colon through a tubelike instrument, the sigmoidoscope.

Causes of the constipation

Some possible causes of the Constipation are :

• sensation of incomplete evacuation
• sensation of anorectal blockage/obstruction
• fewer than three bowel movements per week
• blood and thyroid tests may be necessary to look for thyroid disease and serum calcium or to rule out inflammatory, metabolic, and other disorders.
• a defecography
• sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy
• the patient lies on his or her side, and the doctor inserts the tube through the anus and rectum into the colon. If an abnormality is seen, the doctor can use the colonoscope to remove a small piece of tissue for examination (biopsy). The patient may feel gassy and bloated after the procedure.
• Dyschezia
• Psychosomatic constipation, based on anxiety or unfamiliarity with surroundings .
• Constipation is often caused by a lazy colon that does not contract properly and fails to move the stool to the rectum.
• The near-liquid food then enters the small intestine which extracts calories, minerals and vitamins
• Constipation also can result from a mechanical obstruction, such as tumors or advanced diverticulosis, a disorder which can distort and narrow the lower-left colon.

Symptoms of the Constipation

Common symptoms of constipation are :

1) Straining to pass stool may cause hemorrhoids and anal fissures .

2) Defecating depends on dietary habits, exercise, fluid intake, and various other factors.

3) symptoms of bowel obstruction ( vomiting , very tender abdomen) and "paradoxical diarrhea", where soft stool from the small intestine bypasses the impacted matter in the colon .

4) rectal bleeding, abdominal pain and cramps, nausea and vomiting, and involuntary weight loss.

5) Two or fewer bowel movements per week

6) experiencing hard, compacted stools that are difficult or painful to pass, the urge to move the bowels (even though you just had a movement), or no bowel movement

7) constipation may not require immediate attention, particularly if simple measures bring relief.

Treatment of the constipation

Treatment methods are as follows

• most cases dietary and lifestyle changes will help relieve symptoms and help prevent them from recurring.
• a doctor may recommend laxatives or enemas for a limited time. These treatments can help retrain a chronically sluggish bowel
• Laxatives taken by mouth are available in liquid, tablet, gum powder, and granule forms.
• Lubricants typically stimulate a bowel movement within 8 hours.
• Enemas and clysters are a remedy occasionally used for hospitalized patients in whom the constipation has proven to be severe, dangerous
• The relief of constipation with osmotic agents, i.e. lactulose, Polyeythleneglycol(PEG), or magnesium salts, should immediately be followed with prevention using increased fiber
• Exclude any life-threatening complication of constipation (eg, volvulus) and remember that the patient might present with intestinal perforation after tap water enemas performed at home.
• Consult a general surgeon if you suspect intestinal obstruction or volvulus
• General guidelines for treating constipation include: eating regularly, drinking plenty of liquids each day, regular walking and performing aerobic exercise. In particular, patients should respond to the urge to defecate
• Rectal suppositories - helpful in providing lubrication and in stimulating the defecation reflex.