Constipation can strike for many reasons, from temporary dehydration to stress. But if ongoing problems with constipation are causing physical discomfort and stress, there could be an underlying issue.
Recognizing constipation
Constipation itself isn’t a medical condition — it describes a symptom of another problem. When referring to constipation, it’s defined as trouble passing stool during a bowel movement and having infrequent bowel movements. If you have infrequent bowel movements, it typically means less than three per week, persisting for weeks, months, or even years.
Constipation can also feel like there’s something blocking your stool, causing you to strain to pass even a small amount. The end result of constipation is feeling bloated, uncomfortable, and sometimes pain. You can avoid this discomfort by seeking medical attention if you have ongoing constipation, especially if it lasts three weeks or longer.
Understanding the causes of constipation
Several different medical problems and conditions that can trigger constipation, including:
- Dehydration
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Anal fissures
- Bowel obstruction
- Weakened anal muscles or muscles that don’t relax or contract properly
- Hormonal issues like diabetes and pregnancy
- Neurological problems like Parkinson’s disease or neuropathy
- Organ prolapse
- Certain medications
Less frequently, you can have constipation because of colorectal cancers.
Problems associated with constipation
Living with ongoing constipation can cause far more than increasing discomfort. Straining to pass stools can cause hemorrhoids or anal fissures to develop, which makes matters far worse. In extreme cases, you can even experience rectal prolapse from excessive straining, where your rectum starts to protrude from your anus.
Constipation can also cause stool to harden — or become impacted — inside your intestines. This information isn’t meant to scare you. We want to emphasize the importance of early intervention so you can avoid these potential problems altogether.
Managing constipation
If you’ve been struggling with ongoing constipation, Dr. Saslow and his team have effective solutions that can offer relief. He can provide you with an appropriate treatment plan after performing a thorough evaluation to accurately identify the underlying source of your symptoms.
Our team at Digestive Health uses a number of tests that help determine where your issue may lie, from simple blood tests to more advanced testing involving your anal muscles. He also offers minimally invasive techniques like a colonoscopy. These approaches allow him to get a closer look at the internal structures of your digestive system to find any potential problems.