Constipation: Understanding Its Causes
Posted on Jul 01, 2008 under Constipation |If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Constipation can be cause due to various reasons. Generally constipation automatically cures after certain period of time. Various causes which may result in constipation include poor diet, poor bowel habits, or problems in elimination of stool, whether physical, functional, or voluntary
- Poor Diet – One of the main causes of constipation is the poor dietary habit of the person. The diet which is rich in animal fats, sugar and generally have less fiber contains may cause constipation in the people. According to some researches the diets which are rich in fiber, results frequent bowel movements and therefore results less constipation.
- Imaginary Constipation - This is very common a misconception about what is normal and what is not. If this condition is recognized early then this type of problem can be cured by telling the sufferer that the frequency of the bowel movements is normal.
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) – Irritable bowel syndrome also known as spastic colon and this is the one of the most common causes of constipation as changes in bowel function, may cause this disorder, in which sufferer feels abdominal pain, excessive gas, bloating, and constipation.
- Poor Bowel Habits - Ignoring the desire for bowel movements may also result in constipation. Due to these bowel habits, after a certain period of time, people may stop feeling the desire for bowel. This condition leads to the problem of progressive constipation.
- Laxative Abuse - People who habitually take laxatives generally become more dependent upon them which finally results in improper working of intestine.
- Travel – While traveling for long distance sometimes people experience the problem of constipation which may relate to changes in lifestyle, dietary habits and drinking water etc.
- Hormonal Disturbances – Sometimes constipation may also result due to hormonal disturbances like an under active thyroid gland may cause constipation.
- Pregnancy- Sometimes in pregnancy may result in constipation, which is generally happened due to hormonal changes.
- Fissures and Hemorrhoids - Painful conditions of the anus can produce a spasm of the anal sphincter muscle, which can delay a bowel movement.
- Specific Diseases - Many diseases which affect the tissues of the body, and various neurological or muscular diseases can also result in constipation.
- Loss of Body Salts - Loss of body salts due to vomiting or diarrhea may also results in constipation.
- Mechanical Compression - Inflammation around diverticula, tumors and cancer can produce mechanical compression of the intestine and result in constipation.
- Nerve Damage - Injuries to the spinal cord can also results in constipation. Some times these injuries affect the nerves that lead to the intestine.
- Medications - Different types of medications may also cause the problem of constipation. Various pain killers, antacids, antispasmodic drugs, antidepressant drugs, tranquilizers, iron supplements, anticonvulsants for epilepsy etc may cause constipation.
- Age – Older adults generally have more chance to have constipation. There are various reasons which results in the problem of constipation include poor diet and insufficient intake of fluids, lack of exercise, side effects of medicine, habitual use of laxatives etc.
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