Chronic
Constipation: More Common than Most People Realize
It’s not
the subject of everyday, pleasant conversation, but millions of
Americans suffer from chronic constipation. The National Institutes
of Health estimates that more than 4 million Americans have frequent
or chronic constipation. In most cases, chronic constipation does
not indicate a life-threatening condition, but it does cause pain,
discomfort, bloating, and lack of energy on a daily basis, leading
people to search for a quick, easy, and natural constipation
remedy.
There are differing
views about how to define chronic constipation. Clinically speaking,
chronic constipation is usually present when a patient experiences
symptoms for at least 12 weeks in the previous year. Symptoms include
straining during bowel movements, lumpy or hard stool, and fewer
than three bowel movements per week.
Chronic constipation
is a symptom, not a disease, of the colon. It occurs during the
final phases of the digestion process. To understand chronic constipation,
it helps to have a basic knowledge of how digestion works. First,
food you eat is broken down and turned into liquid by the stomach.
The liquefied food goes into the small intestine, where your body
obtains nutrients from the liquid. Once the liquid moves into the
colon, your body removes water and minerals. This process allows
stool to form. If too much water is taken from the stool, it becomes
hardened and leaves the colon constipated.
There’s a
long list of reasons for chronic constipation. Chronic constipation
may be caused by:
- Not enough fiber in the diet
(a key component of a colon
cleansing diet)
- Not enough water or liquids
in the diet (dehydration)
- Lack of exercise
- Stress
- Ignoring the urge to go to
the bathroom (which leads to loss of feeling in the bowels)
- Food allergies
- Poor muscle and nerve function
in the colon
- Obstructions in the colon
- Side effects from prescription
drugs
- Overuse of laxatives (which
may damage nerve cells in the colon)
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Diabetes
- Age
In some cases,
chronic constipation can lead to more serious conditions like hemorrhoids
symptoms, tissue tears, and rectal prolapse. These conditions
may require surgery if they become severe.
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