Chronic Constipation: Causes, Tests, and How to Cure Constipation

Constipation is a common discomfort seen in individuals who have fewer than three bowel movements a week, with hard stools that are difficult to pass. Everyone’s bathroom habits differ, some go many times a day, others just once or twice a week, but it becomes a problem when an individual strays from the normal pattern due to low fiber, less water, no exercise, or diet changes.

Some ignore it as a minor issue, but cases like chronic constipation need care to prevent worsening. This article covers what is constipation, its causes and symptoms, tests like stool examination, plus constipation treatment and remedies for relief.

What is Chronic Constipation? 

Chronic constipation goes beyond occasional discomfort, it’s when one has fewer than three bowel movements a week for over three months, along with ongoing straining and hard stools that feel impossible to pass.

Chronic constipation happens when stool lingers too long in an individual’s colon, pulling in extra water and turning rock-hard, making every trip to the bathroom a struggle. Unlike short-lived cases from travel or diet slips, chronic forms often point to deeper issues like sluggish gut muscles or pelvic floor issues that need proper care.

What Causes Constipation?

Here’s a detailed list of the most common triggers that doctors see time and again:

• Low-fiber diets that exclude fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which bulk up stool for easier passage.
• Not drinking enough water, leaving the body dehydrated, and the stool too firm.
• A sedentary lifestyle with little walking or movement slows everything down.
• Habitually ignoring the urge to go, training the bowels to hold back.
• Certain medications, including painkillers like opioids, iron supplements, or antidepressants.
• Health conditions such as an underactive thyroid, diabetes, or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
• Structural problems like colon blockages, pelvic floor dysfunction, or even neurological issues in rarer cases.

What are Chronic Constipation Symptoms?

Symptoms of chronic constipation build gradually and persist. Here is a list of the most common symptoms:

• Fewer than three bowel movements each week, sometimes even less.
• Lumpy, hard stools that resemble pebbles or rocks.
• Straining hard every time to pass stool.
• A nagging sensation that the bowels aren’t fully emptying.
• Need to use hands for manual support to push the stool out.
• Loose stools rarely happen without laxatives, signalling a motility issue.
• Bloating, abdominal pain, or discomfort that builds up.

What are the Tests to Diagnose Chronic Constipation?

Doctors diagnose chronic constipation through a mix of simple checks and advanced tests to find the root cause. They start with the medical history, diet habits, and a physical exam, including a gentle abdominal press and rectal check. Here’s a list of common tests that a medical provider may suggest:

• Lab tests: Blood tests and urine tests help to uncover signs of hypothyroidism, anemia, and diabetes, which can slow digestion. A stool sample is used to check for signs of infection or inflammation.
• Imaging tests: The doctor may request a CT scan, MRI scan, or lower gastrointestinal tract series to spot other problems causing constipation.
• Colonoscopy: Doctors may perform a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy, a process that gives an internal view of the colon with a scope.
• Colorectal transit studies: In these studies, an individual swallows a small dose of a radioactive substance in pill or meal form, then it is tracked to measure its transit speed.
• Other bowel function tests: These tests check how well the anus and rectum hold and release stool, including defecography (a special X-ray to rule out outlet dysfunction).

What is Constipation Treatment?

Constipation treatment is stepwise, always starting with the least invasive options for safe, effective relief. Here’s what a constipation treatment devised by a healthcare provider may include:

• Lifestyle changes like including a high-fibre diet with more than 8 glasses of water, and daily exercise.
• Prescribed laxatives and fibre supplements along with other medications.
• Rarely, surgery to fix severe structural issues like rectal prolapse.

What are Some Constipation Remedies?

Constipation remedies can act as a quick natural help that are advised by medical professionals. These include:

• Prunes or prune juice, packed with fiber and sorbitol that naturally loosen things up.
• Chia or flaxseeds soaked overnight in water for omega-rich, swelling fiber.
• Probiotic yogurts or kefir to balance gut bacteria and ease digestion.
• Warm lemon water first thing in the morning.
• Gentle clockwise abdominal massage to stimulate bowel movement.

Individuals showing the above-mentioned symptoms of chronic constipation must consult a doctor for proper evaluation and relief. And if a doctor recommends a stool examination test, book it on the Dr. Lal PathLabs app today.

FAQs

1. What is constipation meaning?

Constipation meaning is defined as having fewer than 3 bowel movements a week, with hard, dry stools that hurt to pass, usually due to slow-moving digestion in the colon.

2. What causes constipation?

Constipation is caused by skimping on water, couch-potato habits, certain drugs, or conditions like IBS and thyroid slowdowns.

3. How is constipation treatment done?

Constipation treatment includes better diet and exercise, and prescribed gentle laxatives to get normal bowel movements back.