What to Do for Severe Constipation

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

• Constipation Symptoms
• Constipation Causes
• Constipation Remedies
• How Long Does Constipation Last?
• When Should I Call My Doctor?

Being constipated means your bowel movements are tough or happen less often than normal. Almost everyone goes through it at some point.

Although it’s not usually serious, you’ll feel much better when your body is back on track.

The normal length of time between bowel movements varies widely from person to person. Some people have them three times a day. Others have them just a few times a week.

Going longer than 3 or more days without one, though, is usually too long. After 3 days, your stool gets harder and more difficult to pass.

You may have:

• Few bowel movements
• Trouble having a bowel movement (straining to go)
• Hard or small stools
• A feeling that everything didn’t come out
• Belly bloating

You also may feel like you need help to empty your bowels, such as pressing on your belly or using a finger to remove stool from your bottom.

Some causes of constipation include:

• Changes to what you eat or your activities
• Not enough water or fiber in your diet
• Eating a lot of dairy products
• Not being active
• Resisting the urge to poop
• Stress
• Overuse of laxatives
• Some medications (especially strong pain drugs such as narcotics, antidepressants, and iron pills)
• Antacid medicines that have calcium or aluminum
• Eating disorders
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Pregnancy
• Problems with the nerves and muscles in your digestive system
• Colon cancer
• Neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis
• An underactive thyroid (called hypothyroidism)
• Excess calcium in your blood (hypercalcemia) due to overactive parathyroid glands, medications, cancer (lung, breast, multiple myeloma), or other causes

Take these steps:

• Drink two to four extra glasses of water a day, unless your doctor told you to limit fluids for another reason.
• Try warm liquids, especially in the morning.
• Add fruits and vegetables to your diet.
• Eat prunes and bran cereal.
• Exercise most days of the week. When you move your body, the muscles in your intestines are more active, too.
• Don’t ignore the urge to poop.

You can try taking a laxative, too. There are several types of laxatives, and you can buy many of them over the counter. Each of them works in a different way to ease constipation. Ask your doctor or pharmacist which kind might work for you and how long you should take it.

When constipation lingers for 3 weeks or more, get a checkup just to make sure a medical condition isn’t causing the problem. Also see your doctor if:

• You’ve never been constipated before now.
• You have stomach pain.
• You notice blood in your stools.
• You’re losing weight without trying.

Don’t let constipation go unchecked for too long. When untreated, constipation can lead to unpleasant complications such as hemorrhoids and rectal prolapse, a condition in which part of the intestine pushes out through the anus from too much straining.

Call your doctor right away if you have sudden constipation with belly pain or cramping and you aren’t able to poop or pass gas at all.

Also, make the call if:

• Constipation is a new problem for you and lifestyle changes haven’t helped.
• You have blood in your stool.
• You’re losing weight even though you’re not trying to.
• You have severe pain with bowel movements.
• Your constipation has lasted more than 2 weeks.
• The size, shape, and consistency of your stool has changed dramatically.

Your doctor may recommend some tests to find the cause of your constipation:

• Blood tests to check on hormone levels
• Tests that check the muscles in your anus
• Tests that show how waste moves through and out of your colon
• Colonoscopy to look for blockages in your colon

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What to Do for Severe Constipation

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

• Constipation Symptoms
• Constipation Causes
• Constipation Remedies
• How Long Does Constipation Last?
• When Should I Call My Doctor?

Being constipated means your bowel movements are tough or happen less often than normal. Almost everyone goes through it at some point.

Although it’s not usually serious, you’ll feel much better when your body is back on track.

The normal length of time between bowel movements varies widely from person to person. Some people have them three times a day. Others have them just a few times a week.

Going longer than 3 or more days without one, though, is usually too long. After 3 days, your stool gets harder and more difficult to pass.

You may have:

• Few bowel movements
• Trouble having a bowel movement (straining to go)
• Hard or small stools
• A feeling that everything didn’t come out
• Belly bloating

You also may feel like you need help to empty your bowels, such as pressing on your belly or using a finger to remove stool from your bottom.

Some causes of constipation include:

• Changes to what you eat or your activities
• Not enough water or fiber in your diet
• Eating a lot of dairy products
• Not being active
• Resisting the urge to poop
• Stress
• Overuse of laxatives
• Some medications (especially strong pain drugs such as narcotics, antidepressants, and iron pills)
• Antacid medicines that have calcium or aluminum
• Eating disorders
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Pregnancy
• Problems with the nerves and muscles in your digestive system
• Colon cancer
• Neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis
• An underactive thyroid (called hypothyroidism)
• Excess calcium in your blood (hypercalcemia) due to overactive parathyroid glands, medications, cancer (lung, breast, multiple myeloma), or other causes

Take these steps:

• Drink two to four extra glasses of water a day, unless your doctor told you to limit fluids for another reason.
• Try warm liquids, especially in the morning.
• Add fruits and vegetables to your diet.
• Eat prunes and bran cereal.
• Exercise most days of the week. When you move your body, the muscles in your intestines are more active, too.
• Don’t ignore the urge to poop.

You can try taking a laxative, too. There are several types of laxatives, and you can buy many of them over the counter. Each of them works in a different way to ease constipation. Ask your doctor or pharmacist which kind might work for you and how long you should take it.

When constipation lingers for 3 weeks or more, get a checkup just to make sure a medical condition isn’t causing the problem. Also see your doctor if:

• You’ve never been constipated before now.
• You have stomach pain.
• You notice blood in your stools.
• You’re losing weight without trying.

Don’t let constipation go unchecked for too long. When untreated, constipation can lead to unpleasant complications such as hemorrhoids and rectal prolapse, a condition in which part of the intestine pushes out through the anus from too much straining.

Call your doctor right away if you have sudden constipation with belly pain or cramping and you aren’t able to poop or pass gas at all.

Also, make the call if:

• Constipation is a new problem for you and lifestyle changes haven’t helped.
• You have blood in your stool.
• You’re losing weight even though you’re not trying to.
• You have severe pain with bowel movements.
• Your constipation has lasted more than 2 weeks.
• The size, shape, and consistency of your stool has changed dramatically.

Your doctor may recommend some tests to find the cause of your constipation:

• Blood tests to check on hormone levels
• Tests that check the muscles in your anus
• Tests that show how waste moves through and out of your colon
• Colonoscopy to look for blockages in your colon

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causes, diagnosis, complications and treatment

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The tissues of the rectum are literally permeated with nerve fibers, which makes the anus area very sensitive to external and internal stimuli. In addition to short-term discomfort, pain, burning and itching may appear in this area. These unpleasant sensations are so strong that a person cannot sit down. Sometimes the pain reaches such incredible strength that it is difficult for the patient to walk, and emptying the intestines turns into real torture.

Unfortunately, our society has a false notion that it is shameful to go to the doctor with such “uncomfortable” problems. But, if you endlessly postpone their decision, and even worse – try to cope on your own, catastrophic consequences will inevitably follow.

If you are concerned about discomfort in the delicate area, this symptom most likely signals a pathology. An experienced proctologist who visits our Edkar clinic in Kaliningrad will definitely find a remedy that will help get rid of this unpleasant problem.

Causes

Discomfort in the anus may be temporary or permanent. Moreover, a variety of reasons can cause this unpleasant sensation. In the list of the main provoking factors:

• helminthic infestations;
• rectal candidiasis, which often occurs in patients with diabetes mellitus;
• hemorrhoids;
• intestinal polyposis;
• fissures and ulcers of the rectum.

These diseases are directly related to discomfort in the anus. But such symptoms can be caused by factors that at first glance do not affect the functioning of the intestine. Associated causes:

• obesity;
• allergic susceptibility;
• poor hygiene.

In addition to these reasons, discomfort in the anus in men can be caused by inflammatory diseases of the urogenital area. For example, prostatitis and urethritis are often accompanied by pain in the anus and groin, which are aggravated during bowel movements.

In the female half of humanity, discomfort in the anal region is a frequent occurrence during menstruation. Similar symptoms are manifested in cystitis and inflammation of the appendages.

When to see a coloproctologist

A number of symptoms should be the reason for visiting a doctor. These clinical manifestations include:

1. Pain. Pain in the anus when walking or sitting can be of varying intensity. But their constant nature is always a warning sign.
2. The appearance of blood in the feces also requires an urgent consultation with a proctologist. If there is mucus or pus in the feces, this also cannot be considered the norm.
3. The appearance of edema, sores or other formations near the anus, even in the absence of severe pain, should also be regarded as a signal for help. Do not expect that everything will resolve itself.
4. Itching and burning. These two symptoms cause significant inconvenience. After going to the toilet, the discomfort only intensifies.
5. Pain during defecation can be caused by various pathological factors. Even after a productive bowel movement, pain persists for some time.
6. Constipation and other stool disorders. Constant difficulties with bowel movements, as well as causeless diarrhea or fecal incontinence, significantly impair the quality of life. These types of disorders can alternate and be accompanied by other symptoms. But in any case, such a clinical picture means the presence of pathology.
7. Protrusion of hemorrhoids after defecation. Trying to fix this defect yourself can lead to disastrous consequences.
8. Anorectal injuries are another good reason to make an appointment with a coloproctologist.

Various formations in the perineum cause serious discomfort. Constantly in contact with the elements of underwear, papillomas or condylomas not only cause discomfort, they can degenerate into malignant tumors.

The appearance of one or more signs from the above list must not be ignored. False shame and other superstitions are inappropriate when health is at stake. As practice shows, sooner or later you still have to seek professional help. Only in advanced cases, the prognosis is unlikely to be favorable. Competent diagnostics in a modern clinic will help to quickly identify the cause of discomfort, and timely treatment will help to avoid serious consequences.

Diagnostic features

A visit to a coloproctologist differs from a visit to another medical specialist in that it requires some preparation. The specificity of the examination is that the doctor should be able to assess the condition of not only the outer, but also the inner part of the anorectal region. Therefore, the day before, the patient should refuse dinner, and in the morning before visiting the doctor, make a cleansing enema. The survey will be carried out in the following sequence:

1. First, the specialist will listen to your complaints.
2. He will then perform an external examination and a digital examination of the lower rectum.
3. After that, using an anoscope will assess the condition of the problem area. Although this procedure is not pleasant, it is painless.
4. For a deeper examination, the doctor may prescribe a sigmoidoscopy.
5. Colonoscopy examines the entire large intestine.

Although all of the listed types of examinations are not difficult, often patients are not mentally prepared for this type of intervention. But today, to minimize discomfort, special gels are used that have analgesic properties.

In addition to the listed diagnostic procedures, the doctor will definitely refer the patient to the laboratory for blood, feces and urine tests. If an infection is suspected, a PCR test is done, and in difficult cases, a biopsy may be required for histological analysis.

Complications

If the discomfort in the anus is associated with an underlying pathology, irreversible complications, including oncology, may follow without treatment. Often oncological processes are asymptomatic in the early stages.

Treatment

Only after receiving all the results, the doctor can judge the presence and nature of the pathology. An individual treatment program is developed for each patient, depending on the underlying disease. But always therapy is carried out in a complex with the inclusion of medications. In acute conditions, the issue of hospitalization is decided.

Our coloproctologist can be trusted with an intimate problem. The doctor’s delicate attitude to the patient’s problem will help overcome shame, and high professionalism will guarantee successful treatment. If anxiety symptoms bother you, do not postpone an important visit, make an appointment by phone or through an online application.

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appointment

10 reasons to make an appointment with a proctologist Medical On Group Khabarovsk

Coloproctology is a relatively young branch of medicine that deals with the study of diseases of the rectum and colon.

Due to its “intimacy”, not all patients, when the first symptoms occur, turn to a proctologist, thereby delaying the course of the disease and the risk of possible complications.

For the convenience of our patients, the primary diagnosis is carried out in a comfortable position, lying on the left side, using drugs that reduce the sensitivity of the mucosa and reduce pain, and if necessary, the patient is given disposable proctological underwear.

Thus, comfort is achieved during examination, the fear and embarrassment of visiting a proctologist disappears.

So, the main reasons that most often serve as an occasion for such visits are as follows:

1. Soreness in the anus and rectum. Unpleasant sensations, discomfort, pain in the anus during movement, long sitting, occasional or constant sharp or dull aching pains.

2. Discharge from the rectum. The appearance of blood on toilet paper, in feces (bright scarlet, dark brown), streaks of mucus and pus on feces, traces of discharge from the anus on linen.

3. The appearance of swelling, “bumps”, redness, sores, ulcers or any other unusual formations in the anus. Sensation of a foreign body in the rectum and anus. Even if all of the above is not painful and does not cause trouble.

4. Itching and burning in the anus and rectum. This may be permanent or appear for a while after going to the toilet.

5. Pain during the act of defecation. The appearance of painful sensations during the discharge of stool, which persist after the act of defecation.

6. Difficulty with bowel movements. Frequent constipation, difficulty in emptying the bowels, a feeling of incomplete release after a stool. Frequent stools, loose stools for no reason, incontinence of feces and gases, false urge to defecate. Alternating states of constipation and loose stools.

7. Exit to the outside of the hemorrhoid or the mucous membrane of the rectum. The appearance after defecation of swelling or rounded education from the anus.

8. Trauma, bruises, damage to the skin of the anus and mucous membranes.

9. Foreign bodies. For various reasons, it is possible for foreign bodies to enter the rectum. They cannot come out naturally. When you try to extract them yourself, there is a high probability of damage to the delicate mucous membrane and the occurrence of a purulent-inflammatory process.

10. Aesthetic changes in the area of ​​the perineum and anus. Detection in the anorectal zone of cracks, papillomas, warts, fringes.

Even if there are no complaints, a visit to the proctologist is necessary:

• women planning pregnancy,
• pregnant women,
• women who have recently given birth;
• people with increased body weight;
• employees of “sedentary” professions, lovers of a sedentary lifestyle,
• people who violate food hygiene, abuse laxatives,
• who underwent surgery for hemorrhoids,
• having relatives suffering from a malignant neoplasm of the rectum, operated on (after a diagnosis of rectal cancer),
• persons practicing anal sex.