Constipation Symptoms - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Introduction

Constipation is when a person has less than three bowel movements in a week with hard, dry, and lumpy stools. The person faces difficulties in passing the stool and feels that not all the stool has passed. However, constipation is not a disease; it is a normal disorder that can be an underlying symptom in some other diseases. The duration of constipation may vary from one person to another depending on the process of digestion, food intake, or the causing disease behind it. It is a common condition that can affect any age group or population.

What Are the Causes of Constipation?

Constipation can have more than one cause at a time.

The causes of constipation include:

• Delayed movement of stool through the colon due to slow peristalsis. This can be due to any muscle which delays the muscle movements of the gastrointestinal tract.

• Consumption of antacids which contain calcium and aluminum.

• Anticholinergics which are used to treat the conditions of muscle spasms in the intestine, or antispasmodic drugs, may cause constipation.

• Medications used to treat Parkinson's disease can also cause constipation. Parkinson's is a condition in which movement is altered due to the inability of nerve cells in the brain to produce a chemical called dopamine.

• Calcium channel blockers prevent calcium from entering the heart's blood vessels and muscle cells, thus relaxing the blood vessels.

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• Iron supplements in cases of vitamin or iron deficiency can also cause constipation.

• Irritable bowel syndrome is a group of symptoms that occur in the abdomen, including constipation and abdominal pain.

• Pelvic floor disorders are conditions in which the pelvic muscles or connective tissues get weak or injured, leading to delayed stool movement in the colon, thus causing constipation.

• Some antidepressants used to treat anxiety and depression can also cause constipation.

What Are the Daily Routine Changes Which Can Lead To Constipation?

• The change in bowel movement can occur in a few conditions, such as:
• Traveling from one place to another can lead to constipation as an adaptation issue.
• Insufficient intake of fluids and water.
• In pregnancy cases, digestion can be altered, leading to constipation.
• Old age and constipation are very much related to each other.
• Changes in some medicines or consumption of antibiotics to treat some bacterial infections.
• Consumption of fewer fibers in the diet can create slow bowel movements.
• Inadequate physical activity and exercise can also lead to constipation or delayed bowel.
• Hypothyroidism is a condition in which thyroid hormone is deficient. One of the symptoms of the condition is constipation.
• Inflammation is due to inflammatory conditions such as diverticulitis and proctitis.
• Celiac disease is when the body is intolerant to gluten leading to constipation and other digestive issues.

What Are the Symptoms of Constipation?

The Mild Symptoms of Constipation Include:

• Lesser than three bowel movements in a week.

• Difficulty in passing out stools, which can be painful in some cases.

• Hard, lumpy, and dry stools with a strong foul smell.

• An unsatisfactory feeling of stool not passed completely from the rectum.

• Sometimes bleeding from the anal lining due to very hard and dry stool.

Some of the Severe Symptoms of Constipation Are:

• Bleeding from the rectum frequently during bowel movements.

• Constant and prolonged pain in the abdomen.

• Fever and pain in the back side of the abdomen.

• Sudden weight loss and loss of appetite.

How to Diagnose Constipation?

• Medical and Family History: The history of any surgery in the gastrointestinal tract or anemia can be significant in diagnosing constipation. The periods of bowel movement and the details about the color and texture of stool are important to understand the cause of constipation.

• Physical Examination: It involves palpation of the abdomen to check for any tenderness or swelling, listening to the sounds of the abdomen with the help of a stethoscope, and checking for chances of dehydration. It also includes a rectal examination to check for the presence of any infection or bleeding.

• Blood Tests: Blood tests are suggested to investigate anemia, celiac disease, or conditions like hypothyroidism.

• Stool Tests: Stool tests help to find traces of blood or other infectious microorganisms which can cause constipation.

• Urine Tests: Urine tests to evaluate diseases such as diabetes.

• Endoscopy: The doctor performs an endoscopy to look for any problems in the gastrointestinal tract.

• Colonoscopy: A tube with a camera is inserted in the colon to look for any deformities in the large intestine.

• Imaging Tests: Imaging tests include magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and lower gastrointestinal series.

What Is the Treatment for Constipation?

The treatment for constipation includes the following factors:

• In cases of constipation, it is important to include lots of fiber in the diet. The fibrous foods are vegetables and fruits, which act as laxatives and improve bowel movement. Consumption of lots of water and fluids in the diet also improves bowel movements.

• Physical activities and exercises are also necessary for a good and regular bowel movement.

• The doctor may advise having a specific bowel movement time that should be followed every day. In some cases, a bowel movement every day after breakfast can be tried as the food intake stimulates the colon to pass feces to the rectum.

• Prevent the consumption of some medicines or healthcare supplements that can cause constipation.

• The doctor can also advise using laxatives in cases of severe constipation, but always for a short duration, as it can lead to diarrhea.

• Several stimulants or stool softeners can be advised to cure constipation.

• The doctor may advise medicines such as Lubiprostone which helps to increase fluid in the body, makes the stool softer and reduces abdominal pain. Biofeedback therapy can be recommended by healthcare professionals to change musculature movements in cases of constipation due to weak muscles of the gastrointestinal tract.

• Surgery is advised in cases of rectal prolapse where there can be a blockage in the path of stool.

Conclusion:

Constipation is a common phenomenon that affects almost every human being sometimes in life. However, if the situation persists for a long duration, it can cause severe issues and infection. So the treatment of constipation is important. The symptoms of constipation include hard, dry stools with difficulty in bowel movements.