INTRODUCTION: Constipation is defined as having a bowel movement fewer than three times per week and is one of the most common gastrointestinal complaints in the United States. It is a symptom, not a disease and occurs when the colon absorbs too much water or if the colons muscle contractions are slow or sluggish, causing the stool to move through the colon too slowly. It affects almost everyone at one time or another.

FIBER: The most common reasons for constipation are a diet low in fiber or a diet high in fats, such as cheese, eggs, and meats. Those who eat a high-fiber diet are less apt to become constipated. Fiber can't be digested, so it helps clean out the intestines by moving the bowels along, while a diet loaded with fatty, sugary, or starchy foods can slow the bowels down.

LAXATIVES: Self-treatment with over-the-counter (OTC) laxatives is by far the most common aid. Although people may feel relief when they use laxatives, typically they must increase the dose over time because the body grows reliant on laxatives in order to have a bowel movement. As a result,laxatives may become habit-forming. Most people who are mildly constipated do not need laxatives. For children, short-term treatment with laxatives, along with re-training to establish regular bowel habits, helps prevent constipation.

However, for those who have made diet and lifestyle changes and are still constipated, a doctor may recommend laxatives or enemas for a limited time. For most people, stopping laxatives restores the colons natural ability to contract.

SYMPTOMS: Depending on your diet, age and day to day activities, regular bowel movements can mean anything from 3 bowel movements per day to 1 every 3 days. The symptoms are key to helping the MD determine a diagnosis and treatment. Extensive testing usually is reserved for those with severe symptoms, for those with dramatic changes in the number and consistency of bowel movements or blood in the stool, and older adults.

TREATMENTS: Although treatment depends on the cause, severity, and length of time of the constipation, in most cases dietary and lifestyle alterations will help relieve symptoms and help prevent them from coming back. If an underlying disorder is the problem, treatment will be aimed toward the specific cause. Above all, it is necessary to recognize that a successful treatment program needs persistent effort and time.

CONCLUSION: Constipation is the infrequent and difficult passage of stool and can lead to complications, such as hemorrhoids caused by extreme straining or fissures caused by the hard stool stretching the sphincters. It is a common symptom, but it often remains unrecognized until the patient develops sequelae, such as anorectal disorders or diverticular disease. Constipation is the end effect of several factors: poor diet, lack of exercise, motility abnormalities, and anatomic defects, along with the patient's expectations and psychological factors.

In children it is frequently diet-related, particularly toddlers who are being switched from formula feeds to milk. It is a symptom rather than a disease and is the most common digestive complaint in the United States. Constipation does not occur overnight, and it is not reasonable to expect that it can be relieved overnight.