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:

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.