Constipation in Adults
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- Constipation Overview
- Constipation Causes
- Constipation Symptoms
- When to Seek Medical Care
- Exams and Tests
- Constipation Treatment
- Self-Care at Home
- Medications
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- Next Steps
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- Related constipation articles:
Constipation - on WebMD
Constipation - on MedicineNet
Constipation Overview
Constipation refers to a decrease in the frequency of bowel movements. For some people, it may mean difficulty in passing stools. A constipated stool is hard because it contains less water than normal. Constipation is a symptom, not a disease.
Generally, constipation is difficult to define clearly because as a symptom it varies from person to person.
- The frequency of bowel movements also varies greatly, ranging from 3 movements per day to 3 per week. Generally, if your bowel has not opened for 3 successive days, the intestinal contents harden, and you may have difficulty or even pain during defecation.
- A common misconception about constipation is that wastes stored in your body are absorbed, are dangerous to your health, and may shorten your lifespan. Some people have an underlying fear that they will be "poisoned" by their own intestinal wastes (feces) if they retain the waste in their bodies for more than a certain length of time. None of this is true.
- Older people are 5 times more likely than younger people to develop constipation. But experts believe that older people become too concerned with having a daily bowel movement and that constipation in this age group is overestimated.
Next: Constipation Causes »
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Constipation in Adults
Constipation in Children Overview
Constipation occurs commonly in children, affecting up to 10% at any given time. Still, only 3% of parents actually seek advice from the doctor for this condition. Constipation describes the infrequent passage of stools (bowel movements) or the passage of hard stools. Any definition of constipation depends upon comparison to how often the child normally passes stools and to the normal consistency of his or her stools.
Many children normally pass stools as far apart as every few days. Regardless, you should treat hard stools that are difficult to pass and those that happen only every three days as constipation.
Constipation in Children Causes
Infants and children with constipation are treated differently than adults because patterns of bowel movements change from the time they are born until they reach the age of 3 or 4 years. The majority of children with constipation do not have a medical d...
Read What Your Physician is Reading on eMedicine
Constipation »
Constipation is a common symptom, but it often remains unrecognized until the patient develops sequelae, such as anorectal disorders or diverticular disease
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