Constipation

What does normal bowel movements mean?
The common tell-tale signs or symptoms of constipation.

For a medical professional to diagnose you with functional constipation, you have to show at least two of the following signs and for at least one week in a month: 6
- Have only had two or fewer bowel movements in a week
- Had at least one experience of faecal leakage in a week
- Taken a stool retentive posture or forced the withholding of stool
- A history of painful bowel movements or hard stool
- Very largely sized stools
The causes of constipation
When you consider the possible causes of constipation, it is evident that most people, at some time or another, could be experiencing constipation. These causes include: 2,3
- Not eating enough fibre
- Not drinking enough fluids
- Lack of physical activity (you are twice as likely to have constipation)
- Poor bowel habits
- Travel
- Stressful life events
- Depression
- Use of certain medication
- Pregnancy
- Advanced age
Babies may experience infant constipation, or later on when their diet is changed as they grow up, like when you introduce solid foods or cow’s milk protein. For toddlers and small children, poor toilet training, being in a hurry when having a bowel movement or finding it difficult to stop playing to go to the toilet could cause constipation. Older children often experience stress in their family or school environment, or they may refuse to use public bathrooms or the toilets at school, which can lead to constipation. 5,7
Treat and prevent with ease
- Consider some changes in your diet. Add more fibre-rich food such as cereals, citrus fruits, legumes and wheat bran. Whenever you eat more fibre, you must also increase your water intake, as they work hand in hand to prevent constipation. Make sure you have at least 2 litres of water every day
- Get at least 30 to 60 minutes of moderate physical exercise every day – this will activate the movements of the intestines and move stool through quicker. Mild physical activity will also reduce bloating.
- Respond to the urge to pass stool immediately. The longer stool stays in the colon, the more water is absorbed from it, making it more difficult to pass. Setting aside time to visit the toilet undisturbed after a meal may also be helpful. 3,8

There are a few types of laxatives available that you can purchase without a prescription as a constipation solution, such as the following: 2,8
- Bulk-forming laxative – they bulk up a stool to trigger your bowels to push it out.
- Stimulant laxative - stimulate the nerves in the bowel to increase how well it moves stool through.
- Osmotic laxative - work by drawing water from the body into the bowels to make stool easier to pass.
- Stool softener – they work on the surface of the stool itself to wet the stool and soften it so you can pass it more easily.
These options are mostly available as either oral or rectal treatment formats. To make sure you choose the best laxative to suit you or your family, ask your healthcare professional how to use the product, how quickly it works and any side effects that you can expect. 8
Medical References
