If you have ever suffered from constipation, you know the discomfort it causes. Your stomach feels bloated, bending from the waist is accompanied by pain and abdominal pressure, you dread using the bathroom and of course the inability to truly enjoy any activity because of the physical discomfort associated with movement in general.

Yet all of these symptoms pale when considering that there is a segment of the population for whom this is not an exception but rather the norm. Dealing with this painful condition day in and day out, these constipation sufferers may drink prune juice by the pint, swallow laxatives and stool softeners, and still are not able to consistently and without help achieve a bowel movement that is not painful.

Causes for constipation vary.

Improper diet is at the top of the list and usually an increase in fiber and water intake will help alleviate the problem somewhat.

The use of medication will impact the colon's ability to move the fecal matter in a manner that is consistent with its intended function.

Overuse of iron and calcium containing supplementation will cause stool to become hardened.

The creation of a blockage that narrows the intestine to such an extent that passage is nearly impossible.

While the occasional bout of constipation is quickly and easily dealt with, the occurrences of chronic constipation need decisive action. Especially in the case of a blockage, an intervention that once again frees the movement inside the intestines is of utmost importance. When done inside a doctor's office, colonic irrigation is quite commonly the term utilized for the manual probing and cleansing out of the colon and removal of fecal matter. Alternative healers like to use colon hydrotherapy which is gentler and helps to rid the colon of more accumulated waste.

Yet perhaps no form of treatment is as easily accomplished, safe, and gentle as the colon cleanse. Done in the privacy of your own home, you will be able to help your intestines to rid themselves of hardened fecal matter that may have been accumulating for more than decades!

While with healthy nutritional choices the accumulation of fecal matter is slow, the average American diet is predominantly unhealthy, and thus accumulation of waste is accelerated to such an extent that regular colon cleanse regimens are needed.

While unable to cure every conceivable reason for experiencing constipation, colon cleansers as a last resort will remove the blockages that narrow the passage through the intestines and remove the physical barriers to passing fecal matter along.

Similarly, because of the removal of such matter, the intestines will once again be enabled to properly extract nutrients and water from fecal matter and thus many physiological reasons for constipation are removed. Thus, when occasional bouts of constipation occur, the use of prune juice and whole grain products will most likely get your body back on track and not require a doctor's attention.