Chronic constipation affects about 15-20% of people in the United States. This long-term condition causes you to have infrequent bowel movements that cause excessive straining.
At Imperial Digestive Health Specialists, board-certified Oforbuike Ewelukwa, MD, MSc, and our team of constipation specialists have the expertise and experience to diagnose and treat this frustrating issue.
Here’s some helpful info on the causes of chronic constipation and what you can do about it.
The main organs that help move food through your body are your stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. As the food material passes through your digestive tract, the muscles in your pelvic floor work with your intestines to push stool out of your rectum.
Constipation happens when you have slow-moving or hard stools, or when the muscles and nerves that push your bowel movement out don’t work efficiently.
Chronic constipation mostly affects you if you’re:
If you have a poor diet, you can also be at risk.
Chronic constipation can develop from a poor diet, certain health conditions, or medications you take. Several causes include:
In some cases, you might experience chronic constipation without a known cause, which is called chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC).
Acute and chronic constipation have the same symptoms, which might mean you have difficulty with bowel movements, small or hard stools, bloating, or a feeling that you haven’t fully emptied your bowels.
The difference is how long the constipation lasts:
To avoid chronic constipation, you should know how to keep your bowels functioning regularly.
Take the following proactive steps on a daily basis to give your digestive system the support it needs.
Train your body to go to the bathroom at the same time every morning when your motor activity is at its highest. Don’t resist the urge to go.
If you notice the trigger in your body, take advantage of the opportunity. If you ignore the urge, your stool can stay in your bowels longer and reabsorb more water, which can make it difficult to eliminate from your body.
Drink at least eight glasses of water a day to keep your system flushed out. You should especially drink more liquids when you’re exercising.
Increase your soluble and insoluble fiber intake, which include:
Bulk fiber laxatives like psyllium or methylcellulose can also help.
When you have a daily routine of moving your body, the activity promotes circulation and helps your bowels work efficiently and regularly.
If your lifestyle changes don’t help, we can prescribe medication to keep your digestive system on track. We might also recommend suppositories or certain laxatives, but they need to be used with care, because they can worsen your condition if overused.
Contact our friendly office staff today at 281-397-3499, or text us at 832-639-5725, or request an appointment online.
