Can constipation cause fever in toddlers: Can Constipation Cause Fever: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

06.09.202306.07.2023 by alexxlab

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Can Constipation Cause Fever: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

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Medically reviewed by Cynthia Taylor Chavoustie, MPAS, PA-C — By Scott Frothingham on January 3, 2020

Constipation and fever can occur at the same time, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the constipation caused your fever. The fever may be caused by an underlying condition that’s also related to constipation.

For example, if your constipation is caused by a viral, bacterial, or parasitic infection, that infection may result in fever. The cause of the fever is the infection, not the constipation, even though they occur simultaneously.

Keep reading to learn more about what might cause constipation and fever.

If you poop fewer than three times a week, you’re constipated. Other signs and symptoms include:

experiencing hard or lumpy poop
needing to strain to poop
feeling that you can’t completely empty out all your poop
feeling like there’s a blockage preventing you from pooping

If you’ve experienced two or more of these symptoms, including pooping fewer than three times a week, your constipation may be considered chronic.

According to Harvard Medical School, typically constipation isn’t related to an illness. It’s usually caused by lifestyle, diet, or some other factor that hardens the poop or interferes with its ability to pass easily and comfortably.

Causes that may lead to chronic constipation include:

nutritional problems, such as not enough fiber or liquid consumption
sedentary lifestyle
blockages in the rectum or colon, caused by conditions such as bowel obstruction, bowel stricture, rectocele, rectal cancer, colon cancer
nerve problems around the rectum and colon caused by conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, autonomic neuropathy, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, spinal cord injury
functional gastrointestinal disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
conditions that affect hormones, such as diabetes, hyperparathyroidism, hypothyroidism, pregnancy
problems with pelvic muscles, such as dyssynergia and anismus

If your child is constipated and develops a fever, see your pediatrician. Other reasons to take your constipated child to the doctor include:

the constipation has lasted longer than 2 weeks
there’s blood in their poop
they’re not eating
their abdomen is swollen
their bowel movements cause pain
they’re experiencing rectal prolapse (part of the intestine coming out of their anus)

Causes of constipation in children

When poop moves through the digestive tract too slowly, it can become hard and dry. This can result in constipation.

Contributors to constipation in your child may include:

dietary changes	consuming too small of an amount of fluids or fiber-rich foods
withholding	ignoring the urge to poop
toilet training issues	rebelling by holding in poop
changes in routine	traveling, experiencing stress, and other changes
family history	children are more likely to develop constipation if they have family members who’ve experienced constipation, according to the Mayo Clinic
milk allergy	consuming cow’s milk and other dairy products

Although rare, constipation could be caused by an underlying condition, such as:

endocrine conditions, such as hypothyroidism
nervous system conditions, such as cerebral palsy
medications, such as certain antidepressants

Treating constipation in children

Your pediatrician may offer a long-term recommendation that includes making sure your child gets enough:

fiber
liquids
exercise

For immediate constipation concerns, your pediatrician may recommend:

over-the-counter (OTC) stool softeners
OTC fiber supplements
glycerin suppositories
OTC laxatives
enema

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, you should never give your child stool softeners, laxatives, or enemas, unless specifically instructed by your pediatrician.

Although constipation may not be the cause of your fever, the two conditions may be related.

If you have signs of chronic constipation or constipation combined with other conditions, such as fever, talk about it with your doctor. They can conduct a full diagnosis and recommend a treatment plan.

If your child has been constipation for longer than 2 weeks, take them to a pediatrician. Take them without delay if they have constipation and:

fever
blood in stool
lack of appetite
swollen abdomen
pain when pooping

Last medically reviewed on January 3, 2020

How we reviewed this article:

Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Constipation and impaction. (2019).
health.harvard.edu/a_to_z/constipation-and-impaction-a-to-z
Constipation in children. (n.d.).
hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/constipation-in-children
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2019). Constipation.
mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/constipation/symptoms-causes/syc-20354253
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2019). Constipation in children.
mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/constipation-in-children/symptoms-causes/syc-20354242
Symptoms & causes of constipation. (2018).
niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/constipation/symptoms-causes

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Medically reviewed by Cynthia Taylor Chavoustie, MPAS, PA-C — By Scott Frothingham on January 3, 2020

Can Constipation Cause Fever in Children?

Does constipation cause fever?

Constipation does not cause fever, but fever can lead to constipation.

First, let’s think about constipation. Symptoms of constipation in children are varied, but most often include having fewer than 3 bowel movements per week, hard stools that are difficult to pass or feeling belly fullness. Sometimes, even diarrhea can be a symptom of constipation in children.

Secondly, fever is defined as a body temperature that is at or above 100.4° F. Fevers happen anytime a person’s immune system causes our body temperature to increase in response to an invading germ.

But what if your child’s constipation is paired with a fever?

Here’s what you need to know about the connection between the two.

Is it possible for constipation and fever to be related?

Constipation itself does not cause a fever, but the two symptoms can go hand in hand.

Most often, fever is a response to your child’s body fighting off an invading virus or bacteria. Occasionally, persistent fever may be due to an immune system dysfunction. Constipation does not cause fever. Often, these two symptoms will coincide with the same child because they are both common childhood conditions.

We have a saying in medicine, two things can be true, but be unrelated. This is the case with these two common childhood conditions.

A fever may not be caused by constipation, but a fever could lead to a constipated child. When children are sick and have a fever, they often drink less fluids than normal. Decreased fluid intake causes stool to not move as well through the digestive system. Often, children eat less when they are feeling sick as well. Less input often leads to less output.

Should I worry when my child has a constipation and fever?

In a fully vaccinated child over the age of 3 months, there are very few reasons to worry about a short lived fever in a child. If your child is not fully vaccinated, it is worth mentioning a couple of days of fever to your pediatrician.

Fever itself is not dangerous and can actually be helpful to help your child’s body to fight off an infection. Constipation itself is not worrisome, but can lead to a miserable child.

While fever and constipation themselves alone aren’t worrisome, the combination of the two together can lead to much parental anxiety.

How can I treat my child’s constipation and fever at home?

Treating both fever and constipation have some things in common.

When your child has either or both conditions, he or she should drink lots of fluids. Encourage your child to drink small sips of fluids frequently or set a goal to drink so many ounces per hour. When your goal is to get your child to drink, the healthy dietary rules can get thrown out the window temporarily. Often a child will refuse to drink plain water if they are not feeling well, but you might be able to get them to take pedialyte, juice or even popsicles. Keeping up with hydration is most important, even if it means increasing their sugar intake temporarily.

Drinking plenty of fluids will also ease a child’s symptoms of constipation. When more fluids are present, the colon can bring more water into the stool and thus make it easier to pass.

Secondly, treating your child’s fever with fever reducing medications can help ease their symptoms of fever as well as constipation. While a fever is not dangerous, it often causes a child to be miserable and not want to be active. Treating the fever with medication will help your child to feel better in the short run which will allow them to be active. Activity helps the digestive system to work well.

When should I see my child’s pediatrician for constipation or fever?

Most often, you can treat both constipation and fever at home. However, there are certain symptoms that worry pediatricians and are worth calling for.

Symptoms that should be taken more seriously include:

Constipation that lasts longer than two weeks
Fever that lasts more than 3-4 days
Refusal to eat for more than a few days
Weight loss
Abdominal swelling or extreme pain
Blood in the stool or black stool

How can an at-home pediatrician help with your child’s constipation and fever?

Drs. Wadley is a board certified pediatrician that offers convenient, evidence based pediatric care to kids and their families in and around Colleyville, TX. Our practice is limited in size and all house calls so we get to know your kids. You have our cell phone numbers so you never need to sit on hold or worry that no one will call you back.

So, if you are tired of phone trees, waiting rooms and never getting timely answers to your questions, give us a call today. We are accepting new patients in Colleyville.

This article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice.

Andrea Wadley, MD, IBCLC

Dr. Andrea Wadley is the owner, pediatrician, and breastfeeding medicine specialist for 127 Pediatrics. She has an established house-calls-only concierge pediatric practice in Colleyville, TX. She is also the owner and operator of the 127 Pediatrics Online Breastfeeding Medicine and Education Center.

Constipation in a child: what is dangerous and what to doForPost

28-08-2020 10:00

Many parents worry when their child has intestinal problems. But the greatest concern is the increase in body temperature: why did this happen and should it be treated in some special way? We will deal with this issue step by step.

Constipation is a condition in which the bowels do not empty for more than two days. The relevance of the problem of constipation is dictated by the prevalence of this form of pathology, which among children ranges from 10 to 30%. It should be emphasized that in children constipation occurs in all age periods, but half of the cases occur in early childhood. At the same time at 9In 0-95% of cases, there is no organic cause of constipation in a child, constipation that is functional in nature is more common. It would seem that there is nothing difficult in diagnosing constipation, since the diagnosis is established on the basis of the anamnesis and complaints of the patient or his parents. However, WHO classifies constipation as a disease requiring treatment.

Types of locks

Three types of constipation are considered medically. The type of this pathology is put on the basis of occurrence.

Primary type – congenital or acquired during the development of an anomaly of the large intestine and its innervation, that is, connection with the central nervous system.

Secondary – is a consequence of diseases, injuries, a consequence of the side effects of drugs.

Idiopathic occurs when there is dysmotility of the colon of unknown cause.

Symptoms of bowel obstruction

What should I pay attention to? First of all, these are abdominal pains of varying intensity and localization, flatulence (bloating, rumbling of the abdomen), severe weakness, pain during or after defecation, constant drowsiness, increased thirst, chills, body aches, pallor of the skin, activity Bladder.

Serious signs dangerous to health include loss of appetite, weight loss with adequate nutrition, nausea and vomiting, pallor of the skin, dizziness, loss of consciousness, the presence of pathological impurities in the stool – pus, blood, mucus.

The above situation may be complicated by intestinal bleeding and peritonitis (acute inflammation of the peritoneum).

Causes of bowel obstruction

The main cause is an unbalanced or irregular diet.

Taking diuretics or antibiotics also disrupts the gastrointestinal tract.

More serious causes include possible diseases of the endocrine, autoimmune or neurological system.

Feces are formed in children in the large intestine. The child defecates at the moment when the intestine begins to absorb excess fluid from the excrement. With the acceleration of such a process, there is a failure in the neurological system: the feces begin to harden, it is very difficult for the baby to push, and the process of removing feces to the outside is difficult.

What the rise in temperature says

The most common cause of abdominal pain with the presence of high temperature – various diseases of the digestive tract and their complications. Intoxication is the most common, but there are other serious causes of high fever that you should pay special attention to.

If a child has a fever during constipation, then this indicates either an inflammatory process or an infectious infection.

This may be an infectious disease of viral etiology. Severe fever combined with respiratory syndrome leads to dehydration. Fluid loss also occurs in the gastrointestinal tract, which causes hardening of the stool.

Appendicitis is diagnosed more often than other causes. Inflammation of the appendix is manifested primarily by acute pain, first in the epigastric region (that part of the abdominal cavity where the liver, stomach and spleen are located), and then in the lower right abdomen. It can also cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation. If at the same time the body temperature rises above 37.5 C, there is a risk of developing peritonitis.

Chronic inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: with exacerbation of gastritis or pancreatitis, as well as with dyskinesia (impaired motor activity) of the biliary tract, body temperature may rise. Parents notice a decrease in appetite, the presence of pain in the epigastrium (upper abdomen) and the appearance of diarrhea or constipation in the child.

Allergy should not be ignored: a hypersensitivity reaction, due to the intake of an antigen, is accompanied by a massive release of inflammatory mediators, which leads to high fever, diarrhea or constipation.

Intestinal obstruction: if, during many days of constipation, the body temperature is above 38 ° C, against the background of severe pain in the abdomen without a clear localization, nausea and vomiting. One of the important signs of this case is the absence of gas discharge.

Worm infestation. Usually long-term presence of parasites in the intestine is often almost asymptomatic. However, the episodic appearance of difficulty with defecation is one of the main characteristics of this condition. Against this background, body temperature may slightly increase to 37-37.3 C without other visible reasons.

Hemorrhoids are not only a disease of adults. The appearance of nodes is possible at any age, and the temperature rises when they are irritated by intestinal contents, that is, infection. It can also be determined by the appearance of blood in the stool or pain during bowel movements.

Intestinal tuberculosis. It is characterized by an increase in body temperature and constipation. In the departed feces, traces of blood can be found.

Paraproctitis – rare. This purulent lesion of the perirectal tissue can be a complication of many diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The condition of the child in this case will be extremely difficult and there is a risk of developing sepsis.

Dysbacteriosis is a severe disturbance of the intestinal microflora due to infection or medication, always accompanied by constipation. The appearance of elevated temperature is possible as a response of the body.

Constipation and fever may be early signs of irritable bowel syndrome in children. In this case, the malaise is accompanied by acute colic, which disappear after emptying. Here the main role is played by heredity and stress factors.

High temperature mechanism

An increase in body temperature is a normal protective reaction of the body to infection. It is not always a sign of illness. Usually it is worth worrying about an increase in temperature, which can reach 38.3 ° C and above, in the absence of other serious indicators described above.

In fact, temperature is a protective reaction of the body to the action of pyrogens, that is, substances that, entering the body from outside or forming inside it, cause fever. They can be causative agents of various infectious diseases – viruses and microorganisms, their toxins, decay products of tissues and metabolism of a sick person, foreign proteins entering the internal environment of the body from outside.

An increase in body temperature is accompanied by a change in metabolism, functions of excretory organs, nervous, cardiovascular, respiratory and immune systems, endocrine glands. One of the physiological meanings of high temperature is its antimicrobial action. A decrease in body temperature below 38C inhibits the production of endogenous pyrogens, which cause an increase in temperature, which negatively affects the quality of the immune response.

The height of the temperature does not always correspond to the severity of the disease. In itself, an increase in temperature is not a disease, but a way for the body to fight it, that is, a natural reaction of the body to external pyrogens.

But the temperature is also a fairly clear sign to control the course of the disease, for example, in infectious diseases. If a child has a fever with constipation, this often indicates the presence of an inflammatory process in the gastrointestinal tract.

It remains an open question when to lower the temperature and whether it is beneficial for young patients. In any case, it should not rise above 39C degrees.

Causal relationship between temperature and constipation

With constipation, dense fecal masses accumulate in the intestines. As a result, a favorable environment is formed for the vital activity of many groups of bacteria. Accordingly, an increase in the concentration of harmful microflora contributes to the reaction of the body’s immune system in the form of an increase in temperature.

Well, if the child has not visited the toilet for more than 3-4 days, then his condition is supplemented by a strong intoxication of the body. Food begins to rot in the intestinal lumen, fermentation processes intensify. Toxins in this case are synthesized by the very harmful bacteria that have managed to accumulate. And then they easily penetrate through the thinned and tense mucous membrane into the systemic circulation, poisoning the entire body. In severe intoxication, body temperature rises to neutralize poisonous substances.

Another scenario is also possible, when during prolonged stagnation, compacted feces press on the walls of the colon. The mucous membrane gradually becomes thinner, due to which the contents can easily injure it. Any damage is an easy access for infection to enter, including the intestinal flora, which leads to the development of inflammation. And the symptoms are aggravated by the constant irritation of this area with internal contents.

Therefore, even ordinary constipation caused by malnutrition, in a chronic course, when the walls of the large intestine are constantly irritated and experiencing increased pressure, can serve as a source of fever.

Can there be a temperature if the balance of microflora in a child is normal? This also happens, but with inflammatory processes mainly in the large intestine. This may already indicate both a banal irritation of the intestinal walls, and the presence of a neoplasm.

In any case, chronic constipation and frequent high fever in a child are harmful, as they can cause disruption of other organs and systems. Which leads to the gradual development of multiple organ failure, namely, the stress response of the body.

Methods for the treatment of constipation

If the situation with constipation is not critical and the temperature is not high, you can try to influence defecation through nutrition. This is the easiest and fastest way.

Flaxseed meal with yogurt helps to get rid of constipation with fever. To prepare a laxative medicine, 1 teaspoon of crushed seeds is mixed with 150 ml of a skim milk product. The composition is insisted for 20 minutes and eaten for breakfast on an empty stomach, drinking plenty of liquid.

An effective decoction of prunes: it is necessary to pour several berries of prunes with boiling water and insist until completely cooled. We take a glass of decoction before breakfast to dilute the feces and start the work of the stomach.

In the morning before breakfast, you can take a spoonful of any vegetable oil, which will have a positive effect on digestion. Flax seeds are considered one of the best remedies for restoring the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Seeds in the stomach increase in volume, are not digested, but simply cleanse the intestines of decay products. That is why the seeds are effective for cleansing the body of toxins and toxins, as well as for burning excess body fat. Seeds are brewed and infused, take one spoonful before the main meal.

Honey is considered a natural laxative. Honey can be added to daily meals such as oatmeal or fruit salad. Infusion on the root of burdock is taken before meals for half a cup three times a day. To bring down the heat, it is recommended to take an equal amount of apples and onions. Grind all this and pour honey. The resulting mixture is taken before meals. You can prepare dill water with the addition of honey. This remedy reduces inflammation, relieves colic, has antioxidant and sedative properties.

Fruit and vegetable juices help improve digestion and restore the normal process of emptying. For example, you can make juice from apples, carrots and beets. It is best to drink in the morning on an empty stomach to start the digestive process. Useful fresh salads based on beets, cabbage and carrots, seasoned with vegetable oil. Fennel and rose hip teas also help improve digestion.

Children with constipation combined with fever may also refuse to eat. Do not force feed them. However, there is a huge benefit of drinking saline solutions, which are used for acute delay in bowel movement, long-term medication, chemical poisoning.

If a child has a high temperature, then the first thing to try is to give a small amount of castor oil: it is not absorbed by the body, but only helps to soften the stool. It is an irritant laxative and may take 8-12 hours to take effect.

In case of prolonged absence of stool for painless cleansing of the rectum, enemas, pharmacy microclysters (Mikrolaks), suppositories with glycerin are put.

Sodium chloride or magnesia is used to prepare a hypertonic enema. Within a few minutes after using the enema, you can see the first positive effect. This is an effective remedy for cleansing the stomach of toxins and toxins. Contraindications include serious diseases of the digestive system, as well as children under three years of age.

Laxative enema based on oils (vaseline, vegetable, olive, almond). The oil is heated to body temperature. It gently affects the walls of the rectum, stimulating their work. In addition, feces are liquefied and excreted naturally. The first effect will have to wait a long time – sometimes up to 12 hours.

For a cleansing enema, no more than half a liter of ordinary boiled water is sufficient. The effect comes in a few minutes. Can be done with decoctions of medicinal herbs (chamomile, St. John’s wort).

If the temperature rises after these procedures, this may be a sign of appendicitis.

A mild laxative effect is provided by lactulose-based children’s syrups, which are prescribed as symptomatic therapy: Duphalac, Prelax, Normaze. With flatulence and difficult defecation, a child under 1 year of age is prescribed a drug – Dinolac. Laxatives for children over 3 years of age: Exportal. Bisacodyl. Senadexin. Fitomucil, Guttalax.

The main advantage of lactulose preparations, which are not digested, is that they allow stagnant stools to be expelled naturally. It also promotes the active reproduction of beneficial bacteria necessary for the digestion of food. Drugs are recommended to be taken with dysbacteriosis, which is accompanied by elevated body temperature. However, a possible allergy to lactulose is a major contraindication.

Children can also be given Phytolax chewable tablets based on natural ingredients – medicinal plants that can cope with mild constipation. An allergic reaction to the plants themselves is possible.

After cleansing the gastrointestinal tract and normalizing bowel function, inflammation decreases and fever disappears.

Do not give antipyretics or aspirin until the temperature rises to 39C. If the temperature continues to rise, an injection with antipyretic is given. In extreme cases, the doctor will prescribe droppers with glucose and vitamins. This will provide the body with everything it needs.

All that the parents can do for their part is to help with defecation in the ways described above and, if necessary, give an antipyretic. Massage of the abdomen in a clockwise direction will also help, which activates the work of the intestinal muscles and helps to quickly remove stagnant feces from the body.

Further treatment is carried out only on the direct instructions of the doctor. It is worth remembering that drugs have a different effect: stimulation of peristalsis; delayed absorption of fluid in the intestine; increase in the volume of feces; irritation of the walls of the colon; accumulation of carbon dioxide in the rectum; softening of faeces.

Prevention of proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract

You can avoid bowel problems by following these simple tips.

First of all, you need to lead an active lifestyle. The main thing is that all muscle groups constantly work. Useful swimming, dancing and running, frequent walks in the fresh air. Enough morning exercises to start the digestive process.

Usually constipation can be prevented by correcting the diet. It is necessary to take food in fractional portions 4-6 times a day. In the morning it is useful to drink cool water with the addition of honey, dinner is replaced with dried fruit compote, rosehip broth or cranberry juice, herbal decoctions. The daily norm of the liquid is at least 1-1.5 liters of pure non-carbonated water in combination with alkaline mineral water. It is important to monitor drinking disorders in children. It is possible to observe a temporary diet therapy, in which all heavy foods are excluded from the diet.

Introduction to a balanced diet high in fiber and dairy products. Constipation can be relieved with vegetable salads, prune decoction, dill water, flax seeds, and fennel teas. Useful products for constipation: yesterday’s bread, crackers, bread rolls, lean pastries; dietary meats – turkey, rabbit, veal, skinless chicken breast; skimmed milk, any dairy products; omelet, soft-boiled eggs; buckwheat, wheat, barley groats; vegetable salads with vegetable oil; green tea; seaweed; butter for breakfast.

To normalize peristalsis, it is useful to use wheat, oat or rye bran. These products retain water in the intestines, contribute to an increase in the volume of feces. The beneficial properties of this product also include the removal of toxins from the body, the restoration of intestinal microflora, the prevention of constipation with fever in chronic gastrointestinal diseases. To facilitate defecation, 2 tablespoons of bran are poured into 200 ml of boiling water, the dishes are covered with a lid and the mass is allowed to swell. It is necessary to take them in the morning before meals, 1 tablespoon, after decanting excess liquid. The course of treatment should not exceed 1 month. It is contraindicated to carry out therapy with exacerbation of peptic ulcer, gastritis, pancreatitis.

Foods that can cause fermentation processes, putrefaction in the colon are excluded from the diet. From the daily diet, it is necessary to exclude fresh bakery products, confectionery, semolina, white rice, smoked and spicy dishes, fatty meats and fish, marinades, sauces, spices, carbonated drinks. To get rid of flatulence during and after constipation, it is recommended to refrain from eating cabbage, legumes, radishes, grapes, pears, mushrooms. This also includes fast food and convenience foods. Cooking should be done with minimal use of fats.

Timely treatment of chronic diseases will eliminate a number of subsequent complications. Be sure to take probiotics – bifidobacteria or lactobacilli after long-term drug treatment. The source of probiotics are dietary supplements. However, these beneficial substances can also be obtained by including in the diet products that have been prepared using bacterial fermentation.

Formulas containing prebiotics are indicated for patients with functional constipation. A prebiotic is a substance that is not digested or absorbed in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Prebiotics that enrich baby foods include: oligosaccharides (galacto- and fructo-oligosaccharides), dietary fiber, inulin and lactulose. In the large intestine, prebiotics selectively stimulate the growth and metabolic activity of permanent microflora. Prebiotics are able to absorb various dangerous compounds (toxins, heavy metals) and stimulate intestinal motility.

The causes of constipation are very varied and complex. A particular difficulty lies in predicting the situation in young children. The temperature can rise with a chronic delay in the release of feces, inflammatory processes in the walls of the colon, and severe intoxication of the body. Children have such a sensitive body that constipation can occur even for no apparent reason. When constipation is accompanied by fever, they are treated separately. First of all, reduce body temperature if it is above 39C, and then give the child laxatives and follow diet therapy. It is worth not to miss the moment when the disease requires immediate hospitalization and professional treatment. In any case, it is worth discussing the situation with a doctor if this phenomenon is not a one-time occurrence, so that it does not turn into a chronic problem in the future.

Marina Shurubor

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Constipation – health articles

The term “constipation” means difficulty in emptying the bowels, no bowel movements for more than three days.

Chronic constipation must be distinguished from situational (episodic) constipation. Situational constipation occurs in various provocative situations (pregnancy, travel – “tourist constipation”, the use of products that impede the transit of intestinal masses, insufficient fluid intake, psycho-emotional experiences, stress). In addition, constipation can be caused by taking medications. Situational constipation occurs for a short time and, as a rule, resolves successfully on its own or with the help of laxatives. These conditions are not considered diseases.

Chronic constipation is a regular delay in defecation for 48 hours or more. At the same time, a small amount of dense and dry feces is excreted. Often after a bowel movement there is no feeling of complete emptying of the intestine. You can talk about constipation taking place if the patient has one, several or all of these signs. An important diagnostic sign is a change in the usual frequency and nature of bowel movements.

Causes

The following variants can be distinguished as the most common causes of constipation: the use of certain medications, pregnancy, hormonal changes, dietary errors, combined with a lack of fiber in it, trauma to the spine, dysfunction of the pelvic floor.

There are a number of specific diseases that can also cause constipation: bowel cancer, hypothyroidism, anal fissure, irritable bowel syndrome, depression, stress, hemorrhoids, diverticulitis, Hirschsprung’s disease, etc.

Symptoms

Manifestation of constipation: feeling of heaviness and pain in the abdomen, loss of appetite, headache, dizziness, nausea, coated tongue, bad breath, heartburn, insomnia.

A diagnosis of chronic constipation can be made if:

stool frequency becomes less than 3 times a week;
defecation requires exertion; hard or lumpy stools;
there is a feeling of incomplete emptying of the intestine.

The symptoms of constipation are very varied and depend to a large extent on the nature of the disease that caused them. In some cases, constipation is the only complaint, in others, patients pay attention to other ailments. Sometimes patients are disturbed by pain and a feeling of fullness in the abdomen; relief comes after a bowel movement or passing flatus.

A rather painful symptom of constipation can be bloating (flatulence), which is due to the slow movement of feces through the colon and increased gas formation as a result of the activity of bacteria in the intestines. Bloating, in addition to the actual intestinal symptoms, may be accompanied by reflex reactions of other organs: pain in the heart, palpitations, etc. In patients with constipation, appetite may decrease, belching with air, bad taste in the mouth.

Diagnosis

First of all, it is necessary to clarify whether the constipation is sudden (acute) or chronic. Further, from the anamnesis, it turns out the presence of diseases that may be associated with impaired bowel function. In the case of such a connection, constipation is eliminated during the treatment of the underlying disease. In its absence, it is necessary to carefully analyze the “drug” history and stop drugs that can cause constipation. In the absence of a connection between constipation and diseases and drugs, the patient should examine the gastrointestinal tract, during which intestinal diseases are detected – the cause of constipation.

An x-ray is taken to assess the condition of the large intestine. Irrigoscopy clearly reveals intestinal obstruction.

The second stage of diagnostic measures is colonoscopy (endoscopic examination of the large intestine), sampling of biopsy specimens, mucous membranes and their histological and, if necessary, cytological examination.

Then methods for studying the functional state of the intestine are assigned, depending on preliminary assumptions. These can be bacteriological tests, a coprogram, a study to detect occult blood, manometry techniques, muscular intestinal walls, laboratory tests to detect functional disorders of the secretory organs of the digestive tract, etc.

Treatment

The best way to get rid of constipation is diet. More specifically, a diet rich in plant fiber. The fiber content in the diet can be increased by including whole grain bread and bran in the menu. It is very useful not to forget about fresh vegetables and fruits, which are very rich in fiber. Daily use of prunes or prune juice helps to improve peristalsis and regularity of the stool. And the last, but very valuable advice for maintaining your health is to drink at least a liter of fluid daily.

As a rule, such dietary measures are enough to get rid of constipation. If, despite following the above recommendations, constipation does not stop, then two teaspoons of raw bran can be added to the daily diet. They can simply be sprinkled on food. Bran should be added to food gradually. If you immediately add a full dose of bran, then the result will be uncontrollable diarrhea and flatulence. In the intestines, bran combines with zinc and calcium salts and removes them from the body, which can cause a deficiency of these metals.