Constipation, Straining, Hard Stool, Long Bathroom Sessions – Don’t Ignore These Issues
Constipation, difficult bowel movements, is a common health issue affecting people of all ages and genders. Many have put up with it for a long time, thinking it’s normal. But in truth, letting chronic constipation persist without treatment can lead to other health issues like intestinal ulcers, hemorrhoids, or even colon cancer. It also impacts quality of life. Understanding the signs of constipation will help you properly address it.
What is Constipation?
Constipation refers to infrequent bowel movements where the intestines contract slowly, preventing normal waste elimination. Stool gets backed up in the large intestine for a prolonged time. As the body reabsorbs water, stool becomes hard and large. Other symptoms include straining during movements, spending a long time in the bathroom, incomplete evacuation, and needing fingers or water assistance.
Determining Constipation
Many believe less than 3 bowel movements per week indicates constipation. But constipation doesn’t depend on frequency or regularity. As long as movements are easy without straining and stool is well-formed, even going just once in 2-3 days is not necessarily abnormal.
But if bowel movements become difficult, requiring spending hours on the toilet pushing out hard, pellet-like stool, incomplete evacuation, bloating and abdominal discomfort – this indicates chronic constipation.
Causes of Constipation?
Constipation often occurs when intestinal contractions slow during digestion, preventing
efficient waste removal. Chronic constipation has many potential causes:
• Everyday lifestyle factors like low-fiber diets, inadequate hydration
• Certain medications can cause constipation side effects, like antidepressants,
Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s medications, blood pressure medications, antacids with
calcium or aluminum, opioids
• Hormonal imbalances from health conditions like diabetes, thyroid dysfunction, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), pregnancy
• Slowed motility of the large intestine
Addressing the root cause of constipation is key. Pay attention to changes in bowel habits and determine the reason promptly – allowing constipation to become chronic can pave the way for hemorrhoids, intestinal ulcers, even colon cancer.
Dangers of Chronic Constipation
When stools are repeatedly backed up and dried out, passing them requires excessive straining. Hard stool scrapes and damages intestinal lining and the anus, causing bloody stools and anal fissures. Other dangers include:
– ทำให้เกิดโรคริดสีดวงทวาร หรือแผลปริรอบๆ ทวารหนักจากอุจจาระที่แห้งแข็งขูดหลอดเลือดจนฉีกขาด
– ทำให้ความดันในช่องทรวงอกเพิ่มขึ้น ผู้ป่วยโรคหัวใจอาจเกิดภาวะกล้ามเนื้อหัวใจขาดเลือด และทำให้หัวใจเต้นผิดจังหวะได้
• Increased chest pressure – heart patients risk reduced blood flow to the heart muscle leading to arrhythmias
• Increased eye pressure – risky for glaucoma and eye/ear surgery patients
• Increased abdominal pressure – can cause hernias
• Weakened pelvic muscles – incontinence
• Severe chronic constipation can potentially cause bowel obstruction requiring
immediate treatment.
Relieving Constipation
Constipation can often be relieved through:
1. Lifestyle Changes
Just modifying diet and lifestyle helps 50% of constipation sufferers restore normal bowel function through:
– การปรับเปลี่ยนพฤติกรรมการใช้ชีวิตและรับประทานอาหาร เช่น การรับประทานอาหารที่มีเส้นใยสูง โดยเฉพาะผัก ผลไม้และธัญพืช
• Increasing fiber intake – consuming more fruits, vegetables, whole grains
• Drinking at least 8-10 glasses of fluid daily
• Regular exercise
• Eating breakfast daily – stretches the stomach and stimulates the intestines
2. Re-training Bowel Habits
Many have strained incorrectly their whole lives, resulting in constipation. Use proper squatstyle sitting posture and body mechanics to allow smooth bowel movements without overstraining muscles.
There are also medications that can help treat constipation through various mechanisms – fiber supplements, stimulant laxatives, osmotic laxatives, stool softeners, suppositories and enemas. Maintaining overall health through annual checkups helps keep your body strong and promotes good digestive health
