Constipation: What Is It Due To?

Constipation is a fairly common condition that causes discomfort in those who suffer from it. The causes are numerous and the approaches are diverse. We explain in this article what this condition consists of.

Constipation has a medical definition, but it is also true that each person defines it personally. Each of us knows what is his normal rhythm of defecation and an alteration of this one is specific to each individual.

In strict and scientific terms, it is referred to as constipation when the frequency of bowel movements decreases. That is, when the bowel habit is less than what is considered normal for the general population. Thus, we can say that those who defecate less than three times a week are constipated.

There are people who throughout their lives defecate less than three times a week and do not suffer from gastrointestinal disturbances. However, many see their quality of life altered by reducing their rhythm and bowel habits.

It is estimated that over 15% of adults suffer from constipation. This is a significant number, which increases with age. For those over sixty, we could say that a third of the population suffers from it.

Constipation, depending on its duration over time, can take two forms :

• Acute: when the defecation rate decreases for a specific cause generally quite easily treatable. Sometimes a change in diet or a state of stress is the cause. In a short time, the cause resolved, the person returns to their usual pace.
• Chronic: constipation that is suffered for long periods of time, sometimes throughout life. It can be an almost innate condition that requires the person to take a series of steps to improve their quality of life.

Symptoms of constipation

While it is clear that the sign par excellence is the lack of good bowel movement frequency, the are constipated individuals may accompany this low defecation frequency :

• Great efforts to defecate : it is not easy for them to evacuate and they use their muscles excessively to achieve this, causing considerable fatigue.
• Sensation of obstruction : The constipated person feels that they have an obstruction in the intestine that does not allow the stool to move forward.
• Hard stools : Having less frequency, feces accumulate for long periods in the intestine, hardening due to dehydration. This adds to the difficulty of the act of defecation, increasing the discomfort.
• Incomplete emptying : once the defecation is finished, the constipated person is left with the feeling of not having been able to expel everything. Usually this feeling is real, and even though you have had a bowel movement, you may not have completely cleared the stool buildup from your bowel.

Causes of constipation

The causes of constipation are various. We present some of them to you:

• Diet : probably the main cause of acute and chronic constipation. A diet that is not rich in fiber slows down intestinal transit causing constipation. The low consumption of fruits and vegetables is at the origin of this cause.
• Use of medicines : Some medicines have constipation as a side effect. It is common for a number of antidepressants to be the cause, for example. In general, the doctor who indicates them advises the patient to modify his diet and counter this side effect.
• Hypomotility : Some people have a lazy bowel, with less movement than it should. It is a birth condition and, logically, it slows down the digestion process, delaying defecation.
• General and systemic diseases : conditions such as diabetes or hypothyroidism are associated with constipation. It is not a direct mechanism by which they cause it, and it is usually not chronic. However, in case of decompensation of the disease, the symptom may appear.
• Gestation : Pregnant women often suffer from constipation. The mechanism is explained by the increase in the size of the uterus which presses on the intestines and interferes with the transit of stool.
• Intestinal tumors : The most serious cause of constipation is an oncological process in the intestinal tract. Colon cancer is one of the most common and can start its symptoms with simple constipation.
• Neurological diseases : Pathologies affecting nerve conduction also cause constipation, such as Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis.

Complications of the constipated person

Beyond the discomfort for the constipated person, the persistence of the symptom over time can lead to other unwanted situations. The most common complications of constipation are:

• Hemorrhoids : When they have to make excessive efforts to defecate, the veins in the rectum and anus increase their pressure. This dilates them into hemorrhoids, which can be painful and bleed.
• Anal fissure : When defecating hard stools, passing them through the anus causes injury, including the rupture of the skin ring in this area.
• Rectal prolapse : Also due to overexertion, part of the rectal intestine may stealthily come out. This is called prolapse and it promotes infections of the anal area by exposing a mucous membrane to the environment.