Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDefinitionCausesDiagnosisTreatmentWhen to Seek Medical AttentionFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Definition
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
When to Seek Medical Attention
Frequently Asked Questions
Thedigestive systemhelps break down the foods we eat so our bodies can absorb the proper nutrients. During digestion, the unnecessary particles of these foods are turned into waste that becomes stool, which is excreted from the body during a bowel movement.
When the digestive system isn’t working as it should, a person can become constipated.Constipationoccurs when the body does not pass stool regularly. It and can cause symptoms like abdominal pain, bloating, and difficult bowel movements.Everyone experiences constipation at some point in their life, especially as a result of dietary changes or eating certain foods. However, chronic constipation can have other causes and may be a sign of an underlying health condition.
This article will explore chronic constipation, including common causes, treatment options, and when to visit a healthcare professional.
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What Is Chronic Constipation?
Chronic constipation is defined as bouts of constipation that occur for three months or more.Certain criteria need to be met to diagnose chronic constipation, such as:
What Does Constipation Feel Like?
Causes of Constipation
Various factors such as diet, exercise, medication use, and certain health conditions may cause chronic constipation.
Why Am I Always Constipated? 9 Possible Causes
Lifestyle Factors
A lack of exercise or eating the wrong foods can disrupt how your digestive process works. Specific factors are more commonly associated with chronic constipation, such as:
Can Holding Your Bowels Cause Constipation?Holding in your bowels now and again isn’t likely to cause any issues, however, if you do it on a regular basis, it can lead to chronic constipation.
Can Holding Your Bowels Cause Constipation?
Holding in your bowels now and again isn’t likely to cause any issues, however, if you do it on a regular basis, it can lead to chronic constipation.
Structural Issues
Medication Usage
There are several medications that can cause a person to experience chronic constipation, such as:
Medication Use and ConstipationDo not stop taking a medication to avoid constipation. If you experience constipation, speak to your healthcare provider about possible treatment options.
Medication Use and Constipation
Do not stop taking a medication to avoid constipation. If you experience constipation, speak to your healthcare provider about possible treatment options.
Bowel Diseases
Bowel diseases can cause a person to develop chronic constipation. Some common bowel diseases include:
Mental Health Issues
Underlying Conditions
Chronic constipation can also arise because of other underlying health disorders such as:
Underlying Conditions and ConstipationWhile constipation can occur in all of the aforementioned disorders and conditions, it will likely be one of many symptoms. If you experience constipation with other symptoms and believe that you may have an underlying health condition, speak to your doctor.
Underlying Conditions and Constipation
While constipation can occur in all of the aforementioned disorders and conditions, it will likely be one of many symptoms. If you experience constipation with other symptoms and believe that you may have an underlying health condition, speak to your doctor.
When Is Constipation Considered an Emergency?
How Is Chronic Constipation Diagnosed?
Diagnosing chronic constipation is based on certain criteria.
The criteria used to diagnose functional constipation is having at least two of the following six symptoms for at least three months of a six-month period:
In addition, stools are rarely loose unless you use laxatives and you don’t meet the criteria for irritable bowel syndrome.
Tests will be done following a collection of your health history so that your healthcare provider can rule out other causes. These tests may include:
The Goal of TestingThe main goal of testing is to get a clear picture of what’s going on inside the gastrointestinal tract . Since there are so many causes, various tests such as the ones mentioned above may all be performed.
The Goal of Testing
The main goal of testing is to get a clear picture of what’s going on inside the gastrointestinal tract . Since there are so many causes, various tests such as the ones mentioned above may all be performed.
Treatment for Chronic Constipation
Treating constipation relies heavily on the cause. If an underlying health condition is diagnosed, constipation will likely subside with treatment targeting the root cause. Other treatment options include dietary changes, laxatives, pelvic muscle exercises, and in rare cases, surgery.
Dietary Changes
In many cases, chronic constipation can be due to a poor diet, and dietary changes can help alleviate constipation, including:
Natural Constipation Remedies
Laxatives
Stimulant Laxatives for Chronic Constipation
What Laxative Should I Take For Constipation?
Pelvic Muscle Training
Pelvic muscle training is a type of training exercise that aims to strengthen pelvic muscles. It can be used to support the rectum and proper bowel function.
A type of therapy to help retrain the muscles is calledbiofeedback. This therapy involves being hooked up to electrical sensors that are designed to help a person control their bodily functions.
For chronic constipation, the hope is that biofeedback can essentially give a person the ability to control and change how their muscles work to encourage more regular defecation.
Surgery
In the event that a structural issue is causing constipation, surgery may be required. Surgery involves removing any blockages that are making it difficult to pass stool through the gastrointestinal tract.
Although chronic constipation isn’t always serious, it’s important that you see your doctor if you are experiencing it for three or more weeks. You should go to your nearest emergency department if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms along with your chronic constipation:
Summary
Chronic constipation is characterized as constipation that occurs more than three times a week for a period of roughly three to six months. Being constipated is often associated with straining to have a bowel movement, abdominal pain, and feeling sluggish.
There are many things that can lead to chronic constipation such as certain medications, underlying health conditions, a lack of exercise, poor diet, and structural issues within the gastrointestinal tract. Since there are a myriad of possible causes, you should always seek out the proper medical care if you experience chronic constipation for any length of time.
Plenty of treatment options are available depending on the cause.
A Word From Verywell
Chronic constipation is uncomfortable, but it’s not always something to worry about. Since there are so many causes, from something as simple as your diet to something as serious as cancer, it’s important that you see your healthcare provider. They can provide you with the right treatment so you can overcome chronic constipation.
While damage to the intestines isn’t likely to occur, chronic constipation can lead to several long-term complications. These include inflammation of the veins in the rectum, tears in the lining of the anus, and infection in pouches of the colon wall. You can also damage your pelvic floor muscles from straining too much.
Feeling tired and weak is a common symptom of constipation. When your body is holding on to too much waste, it is not absorbing nutrients from food. This can cause malnutrition, which can lead to fatigue.Tiredness and weakness may also be a sign that an underlying medical issue is to blame for your constipation.
16 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease.Your Digestive System and How It Works.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Constipation.Gray JR.What is chronic constipation? Definition and diagnosis.Can J Gastroenterol.2011 Oct;25 Suppl B(Suppl B):7B-10B.Bae SH.Diets for constipation.Pediatr Gastroenterol Hepatol Nutr.2014 Dec;17(4):203-208. doi:10.5223/pghn.2014.17.4.203Huang R, Ho SY, Lo WS, Lam TH.Physical activity and constipation in Hong Kong adolescents.PLoS One.2014 Feb 28;9(2):e90193. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0090193National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and Causes of Constipation.Jani B, Marsicano E.Constipation: evaluation and management.Mo Med.2018;115(3):236-240.Forootan M, Bagheri N, Darvishi M.Chronic constipation: A review of literature.Medicine (Baltimore).2018 May;97(20):e10631. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000010631Saha L.Irritable bowel syndrome: pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and evidence-based medicine.World J Gastroenterol.2014 Jun 14;20(22):6759-6773. doi:10.3748/wjg.v20.i22.6759Fakhoury M, Negrulj R, Mooranian A, Al-Salami H.Inflammatory bowel disease: clinical aspects and treatments.J Inflamm Res.2014 Jun 23;7:113-120. doi:10.2147/JIR.S65979Kids Health.Hirschsprung Disease (for parents).Johns Hopkins Medicine.Diverticular Disease.Jessurun JG, van Harten PN, Egberts TC, Pijl YJ, Wilting I, Tenback DE.The Relation between Psychiatric Diagnoses and Constipation in Hospitalized Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study.Psychiatry J.2016;2016:2459693. doi:10.1155/2016/2459693National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease.Diagnosis of Constipation.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for Constipation.Panarese A, Pesce F, Porcelli P, Riezzo G, Iacovazzi PA, Leone CM, De Carne M, Rinaldi CM, Shahini E.Chronic functional constipation is strongly linked to vitamin D deficiency.World J Gastroenterol.2019 Apr 14;25(14):1729-1740. doi:10.3748/wjg.v25.i14.1729
16 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease.Your Digestive System and How It Works.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Constipation.Gray JR.What is chronic constipation? Definition and diagnosis.Can J Gastroenterol.2011 Oct;25 Suppl B(Suppl B):7B-10B.Bae SH.Diets for constipation.Pediatr Gastroenterol Hepatol Nutr.2014 Dec;17(4):203-208. doi:10.5223/pghn.2014.17.4.203Huang R, Ho SY, Lo WS, Lam TH.Physical activity and constipation in Hong Kong adolescents.PLoS One.2014 Feb 28;9(2):e90193. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0090193National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and Causes of Constipation.Jani B, Marsicano E.Constipation: evaluation and management.Mo Med.2018;115(3):236-240.Forootan M, Bagheri N, Darvishi M.Chronic constipation: A review of literature.Medicine (Baltimore).2018 May;97(20):e10631. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000010631Saha L.Irritable bowel syndrome: pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and evidence-based medicine.World J Gastroenterol.2014 Jun 14;20(22):6759-6773. doi:10.3748/wjg.v20.i22.6759Fakhoury M, Negrulj R, Mooranian A, Al-Salami H.Inflammatory bowel disease: clinical aspects and treatments.J Inflamm Res.2014 Jun 23;7:113-120. doi:10.2147/JIR.S65979Kids Health.Hirschsprung Disease (for parents).Johns Hopkins Medicine.Diverticular Disease.Jessurun JG, van Harten PN, Egberts TC, Pijl YJ, Wilting I, Tenback DE.The Relation between Psychiatric Diagnoses and Constipation in Hospitalized Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study.Psychiatry J.2016;2016:2459693. doi:10.1155/2016/2459693National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease.Diagnosis of Constipation.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for Constipation.Panarese A, Pesce F, Porcelli P, Riezzo G, Iacovazzi PA, Leone CM, De Carne M, Rinaldi CM, Shahini E.Chronic functional constipation is strongly linked to vitamin D deficiency.World J Gastroenterol.2019 Apr 14;25(14):1729-1740. doi:10.3748/wjg.v25.i14.1729
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease.Your Digestive System and How It Works.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Constipation.Gray JR.What is chronic constipation? Definition and diagnosis.Can J Gastroenterol.2011 Oct;25 Suppl B(Suppl B):7B-10B.Bae SH.Diets for constipation.Pediatr Gastroenterol Hepatol Nutr.2014 Dec;17(4):203-208. doi:10.5223/pghn.2014.17.4.203Huang R, Ho SY, Lo WS, Lam TH.Physical activity and constipation in Hong Kong adolescents.PLoS One.2014 Feb 28;9(2):e90193. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0090193National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and Causes of Constipation.Jani B, Marsicano E.Constipation: evaluation and management.Mo Med.2018;115(3):236-240.Forootan M, Bagheri N, Darvishi M.Chronic constipation: A review of literature.Medicine (Baltimore).2018 May;97(20):e10631. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000010631Saha L.Irritable bowel syndrome: pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and evidence-based medicine.World J Gastroenterol.2014 Jun 14;20(22):6759-6773. doi:10.3748/wjg.v20.i22.6759Fakhoury M, Negrulj R, Mooranian A, Al-Salami H.Inflammatory bowel disease: clinical aspects and treatments.J Inflamm Res.2014 Jun 23;7:113-120. doi:10.2147/JIR.S65979Kids Health.Hirschsprung Disease (for parents).Johns Hopkins Medicine.Diverticular Disease.Jessurun JG, van Harten PN, Egberts TC, Pijl YJ, Wilting I, Tenback DE.The Relation between Psychiatric Diagnoses and Constipation in Hospitalized Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study.Psychiatry J.2016;2016:2459693. doi:10.1155/2016/2459693National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease.Diagnosis of Constipation.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for Constipation.Panarese A, Pesce F, Porcelli P, Riezzo G, Iacovazzi PA, Leone CM, De Carne M, Rinaldi CM, Shahini E.Chronic functional constipation is strongly linked to vitamin D deficiency.World J Gastroenterol.2019 Apr 14;25(14):1729-1740. doi:10.3748/wjg.v25.i14.1729
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease.Your Digestive System and How It Works.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Constipation.
Gray JR.What is chronic constipation? Definition and diagnosis.Can J Gastroenterol.2011 Oct;25 Suppl B(Suppl B):7B-10B.
Bae SH.Diets for constipation.Pediatr Gastroenterol Hepatol Nutr.2014 Dec;17(4):203-208. doi:10.5223/pghn.2014.17.4.203
Huang R, Ho SY, Lo WS, Lam TH.Physical activity and constipation in Hong Kong adolescents.PLoS One.2014 Feb 28;9(2):e90193. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0090193
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and Causes of Constipation.
Jani B, Marsicano E.Constipation: evaluation and management.Mo Med.2018;115(3):236-240.
Forootan M, Bagheri N, Darvishi M.Chronic constipation: A review of literature.Medicine (Baltimore).2018 May;97(20):e10631. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000010631
Saha L.Irritable bowel syndrome: pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and evidence-based medicine.World J Gastroenterol.2014 Jun 14;20(22):6759-6773. doi:10.3748/wjg.v20.i22.6759
Fakhoury M, Negrulj R, Mooranian A, Al-Salami H.Inflammatory bowel disease: clinical aspects and treatments.J Inflamm Res.2014 Jun 23;7:113-120. doi:10.2147/JIR.S65979
Kids Health.Hirschsprung Disease (for parents).
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Diverticular Disease.
Jessurun JG, van Harten PN, Egberts TC, Pijl YJ, Wilting I, Tenback DE.The Relation between Psychiatric Diagnoses and Constipation in Hospitalized Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study.Psychiatry J.2016;2016:2459693. doi:10.1155/2016/2459693
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease.Diagnosis of Constipation.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for Constipation.
Panarese A, Pesce F, Porcelli P, Riezzo G, Iacovazzi PA, Leone CM, De Carne M, Rinaldi CM, Shahini E.Chronic functional constipation is strongly linked to vitamin D deficiency.World J Gastroenterol.2019 Apr 14;25(14):1729-1740. doi:10.3748/wjg.v25.i14.1729
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