Facebook Pixel

Constipation: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Causes and Risks

By EmpowHER
 
Rate This

Then assess how bad your constipation is. The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC) defines constipation as having three or fewer bowel movements in a week, or passing stool that is hard, dry, small and possibly causing pain when you try to eliminate it.

Certainly it could be something simple that explains why you are suffering from constipation: pregnancy, recovering from childbirth, taking calcium or iron supplements, or taking certain painkillers and antidepressants, are all circumstances commonly associated with constipation. Your doctor will want to know whether to rule out these factors.

On the other hand, constipation can be a sign of problems with the muscles and nerves in the intestine, rectum and anus, the NDDIC said. It might also signal irritable bowel syndrome, an often painful feeling in the gut thought to be caused by certain foods, stress, bacterial infections or other possibilities.

https://www.empowher.com/constipation/content/x-rays-and-other-tests-help-get-root-constipation

Add a CommentComments

There are no comments yet. Be the first one and get the conversation started!

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.
By submitting this form, you agree to EmpowHER's terms of service and privacy policy

Tags:

Constipation

Get Email Updates

Constipation Guide

Have a question? We're here to help. Ask the Community.

ASK

Health Newsletter

Receive the latest and greatest in women's health and wellness from EmpowHER - for free!