Constipation-causes, side effects and treatment

Constipation... we all know what it is. And it doesn't have to mean unhealthy life style. Just because someone has constipation, it doesn't have to mean he or she is unhealthy or even that has an unhealthy lifestyle. He or she can do everything as recommended by his or hers doctor and still have the problem from time to time.     
 
Definition of Constipation

Constipation is a symptom, it is not a disease. Constipation refers to a decrease in the frequency of bowel movements. Generally, constipation is difficult to define clearly because as a symptom it varies from person to person. The frequency of bowel movements namely varies greatly: for example from three times a day to three times a week. This is why general definition of constipation is hard to give. For some people, constipation may mean difficulty in passing stools (a constipated stool is hard because it contains less water than normal), while for others constipation may mean missing passing stools for couple of days.


Constipation Symptoms

These are common symptoms you may have if you are constipated:

Constipation Causes

There are many possible constipation causes. Constipation may result from a poor diet, poor bowel habits, or problems in elimination of stool, whether physical, functional, or voluntary.

Diet
Nutrition low in fiber, and high in fat can cause constipation. Dietary fibre provides the bulk that helps to speed the passage of waste food through the bowel. On the other hand, lack of fibre results in harder and more compact stools, which also take longer to pass through. In short, if eating foods rich in animal fats, such as dairy products, meats, and eggs or refined sugar but nutrition low in fiber, which is whole grains, fruits, and vegetables it will very probably cause constipation.

Poor bowel habits
Some people ignoring the desire to have bowel movement, and this may initiate a cycle of constipation. Namely, after a period of time, they may stop feeling the desire for opening your bowel, which may lead to progressive constipation. For example, some people may ignore going to the toilet because they are busy or some people avoid using public toilets.

Change in nutrition- Travels, Holidays
This change often happens on holidays. Any change of routine can cause constipation. 

Lack of fluids
Daily need for fluids is  1.5-2 litres. Without that amount waste matter dries out, which also makes harder harder to move through the bowel. Most recommended is water, and least (of you have constipation problems- alcohol, caffeine, sodas)

Lack of exercise
If you don't exercise often, things can slow down including the muscle contractions that move waste matter through the bowel.

Pregnancy
During pregnancy hormonal and physical changes are probable causes. Constipation during pregnancy may be due to several factors: mechanical pressure on your bowel by the heavy womb, hormonal changes during pregnancy, changes in food and fluid intake, anal fissure (cracks in the anus), hemorrhoids (piles), anal stenosis (narrow anus).

Menopause and menstruation
During menopause and menstruation hormonal and lifestyle changes can cause constipation.

Stress
constipation can be caused by stress, and vice versa stress can also be a symptom of constipation.

Aging
Bodily functions slow down with age and the digestive system is also part of it.
For example, older people are five times more likely than younger people to develop constipation. On the other hand, experts believe that older people become too concerned with having a daily bowel movement, thus the constipation in this age group is overestimated.
On the other hand, older adults are more likely to have constipation for following reasons: poor diet and insufficient intake of fluids, lack of exercise, side effects of prescription drugs used to treat other conditions, poor bowel habits, prolonged bed rest, for example after an accident or during an illness, habitual use of laxatives.

Medicines
Some painkillers (narcotic-containing drugs, for example codeine) are known to cause constipation, also some other medicines, such as iron tablets and some antacids (containing aluminium hydroxide or calcium carbonate), antispasmodic drugs, antidepressants and anticonvulsant drugs.

Laxative abuse
If person is habitually using laxatives, he or she will gradually produce dependency on them, and may eventually require increasing amounts of laxatives to move bowels, and in some instances, the bowel will become insensitive to laxatives and fail to open.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common causes of constipation People that suffer from irritable bowel syndrome often have constipation, sometimes alternating with diarrhoea. In irritable bowel syndrome, cramping pains, excessive gas, bloating and discomfort in the bowel and rectum are common.

Constipation Treatment

Although constipation may be extremely uncomfortable, it is usually not serious.
Treatment of constipation is closely connected to its causes. If you don't eat enough fibers, you should start, if you don't exercise regularly, you should consider that as an option, if you're on some sort of medications stated above, you should cut them in order to treat constipation, and so on and so on. In this cases medical attention is not necessary, nevertheless, there are times when this is not the case.
You should seek medical attention if you have symptoms that are severe and last longer than 3 weeks.
If you feel severe pain in anus during bowl movement. If you noticed change in bowel habits, for instance, constipation alternation with diarrhea. Seek also medical help if you have symptoms of other diseases, like tiredness, fatigue, etc. in addition to constipation.
Also, seek prompt medical help if you have rectal bleeding, anal pain and hemorrhoids, pain during bowel movement, vomiting, etc.
As said above, treatment depends on the cause, severity, and duration. In most cases dietary and lifestyle changes will help relieve symptoms and help prevent constipation.