Constipation – A Symptom NOT A Disease!
INTRODUCTION: Constipation is defined as having a bowel movement less than three times a week and is one of the most common gastrointestinal complaints in the United States. It is a symptom, not a disease and happens 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 happens to almost everyone at one time or another.
FIBER: The most common causes of constipation are a diet low in fiber or a diet high in fats, such as cheese, eggs, and meats. People who eat a high-fiber diet are less likely to become constipated. Fiber can’t be digested, so it helps clean 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 OTC (over-the-counter) laxatives is by far the most common aid. Although they may feel relief when they use laxatives, typically they must increase the dose over time because the body grows reliant on laxatives in order to have a bowel movement. As a result,laxatives may become habitual. Most people who are mildly constipated do not require them. For children, short-term treatment with laxatives, along with re-training to establish normal bowel habits, helps in the prevention of constipation.
However, for those who have made diet and lifestyle changes and are still constipated, a doctor may recommend laxatives or enemas for a limited time. For most people, stopping laxatives restores the colons natural ability to contract.
SYMPTOMS: Depending on your diet, age and daily activities, normal bowel movements can mean anything from three bowel movements per day to one every three days. The symptoms are key to helping the doctor determine a diagnosis and treatment. Extensive testing usually is reserved for persons with severe symptoms, for those with sudden changes in the number and consistency of bowel movements or blood in the stool, and older persons.
TREATMENTS: Even though treatment depends on the cause, severity, and duration of the constipation, in the majority of cases dietary and lifestyle changes will aid in relieving symptoms and help prevent them from happening again. If an underlying disorder is the cause, treatment will be directed toward the specific cause. Above all, it is necessary to understand that a successful treatment program requires persistent effort and time.
CONCLUSION: Constipation is the infrequent and difficult passage of stool and can lead to complications, such as hemorrhoids caused by extreme straining or fissures caused by the hard stool stretching the sphincters. It is a common symptom, but it often remains unrecognized until the patient develops sequelae, such as anorectal disorders or diverticular disease. Constipation is the end effect of several factors: poor diet, lack of exercise, motility abnormalities, and anatomic defects, along with the patient’s expectations and psychological factors.
In children it is usually diet-related, particularly toddlers who are being switched from formula feeds to milk. It is a sign rather than a disease and is the most common digestive complaint in the USA. It does not come about overnight, and it is not reasonable to expect that it can be stopped overnight.
