Constipation is an inevitable condition that can happen to anyone. It is the condition where the digestive system expels dry, hard tools in an infrequent manner, usually less than one bowel movement in the span of three weeks. Although constipation is not considered a serious medical concern, it can considerably affect your overall well being and health. When left untreated, this condition tends to recur and aggravate into more serious conditions.
Health professionals consider severe constipation as a symptom of some serious health condition, but more than other things it is normally a sign that you are not having a healthy diet.
If you are experiencing severe constipation more frequently, you might want to know some important things about your condition.
Causes
First, you would want to know what causes severe constipation. In understanding the etiology of the problem, you need to understand that the output depends solely on its intake. Usually, taking hard to digest foods can lead into constipation. To make things worse, dehydration sets in and this can aggravate the problem. Knowing the causes of the problem will help you avoid them so that you will not experience the discomforts of severe constipation.
Some of the well known causes of constipation include poor diet, physical inactivity, decreased intake of fluid, active fluid loss and structural deformities in the bowel. A diet that lacks the recommended amount of fiber results in constipation. High intake of fats and salt can also alter the normal bowel movement. Other more serious causes of constipation include chronic kidney failure, rectal or colon cancer, irritable bowel syndrome, and bowel obstructions.
Symptoms
Aside from knowing the cause, you also need to learn how to identify the symptoms that are frequently associated with constipation. This will help you prevent the occurrence of severe constipation at the earliest possible time. The most apparent symptom of constipation is determined by the quality of the stool. Usually, it is characterized as dry, hard and difficult or painful to pass. This is accompanied by other abdominal discomforts such as stomach cramps, bloating, and gas accumulation. These discomforts gradually intensify as you go longer without passing stool.
The best way to deal with this perennial problem is through proper diet, getting regular exercise and increased fluid intake.
If these attempts seem futile, you need to consider visiting your doctor to get some professional medical advice. Seeking medical consult will help determine the cause of the problem and what needs to be done to treat the condition. Your doctor might need to do some lab works to test whether there are other serious conditions behind the problem. They will most likely advice some changes in your present lifestyle, with diet and physical activity at the utmost concern.
What’s great about consulting a physician is that you will get a relief from all your doubts. This is common with all patients who do not know why their problem continues to progress despite treatments.
