Constipation - Lifestyle and Dietary Factors Causing Constipation
Have you experienced constipation before? Almost everyone would have experienced constipation at least once in their lifetime. Constipation can go from not having a bowel movement for days, to indigestion, but it isn't a funny experience at all. In this post, I will be discussing constipation firsthand.
One thing that is a factor when it has to do with constipation is Transit Time which is the time taken for the stool moves from the cecum to the end of the large intestine which is the colon. When food leaves get to the small intestine, nutrients are absorbed and sent to the large intestine. When the waste gets to the large intestine, it is very mashy and in liquid form but as the waste goes along the large intestine, water is absorbed and the feces become solid before it gets to the rectum. If we are to be sincere, this means that when there is excessive absorption of water in the large intestine, the feces will be extremely solid making it difficult to be passed out of the body during a bowel movement.
While the feces move through the rectum, it stretches it, and this stretch causes the brain to signal a reason to use the rest room but when we are in places where we cannot let out the feces, we usually hold the sphincter tight by constricting it and preventing the feces from coming out but when the feces are to be released, the anus sphincter is relaxed and the fecal matter is released out of the body. I have a friend who usually can go for days without visiting the toilet. He would hold tight his anus sphincter because he would say he is not a fan of going to the toilet but whenever he does, it is always a problem for him to ease himself, followed by a very stenchy smell beyond normal when he is in the rest room. Not releasing the feces when they need to be released, would cause water to be absorbed continually, making it excessively dry and harder to pass out. If the person is like my friend, then the feces will keep accumulating because the person will keep eating, and water will continue to get absorbed making the feces drier. The excessive use of caffeinated beverages, and the Overuse of alcohol can cause constipation.
Fiber is important in not having constipation, as fibers help the intestinal wall to contract, thereby helping it to pass out feces, and thereby increasing the transit time of the waste in the large intestine. Consistent eating of fibers will help ease the pass out of feces as fibers are able to hold water, and it helps to increase the production of the gut floral. Fibers are expected to be gotten from food at about 25 to 30 grams a day, also supplements are available to assist. Using some drugs like antidepressants, antihistamines, pain medications (Opioids), and Iron supplementation can cause constipation
In cases of severe constipation, a disimpaction is required which is a process of manually helping a who has difficulty passing out stool as a result of stool build-up known as fecal impaction. In this procedure, the finger is put into the anus, and the scissor motion is performed, as well as adding mineral oil to make the stool soft so it can be released easily. The use of Suppositories can help during fecal impaction. The use of laxatives is another way to allow the patient to pass out feces. These laxatives can be Bulk-forming laxatives causing the stool to retain water, Surfactants which cause the stool to soften, the osmotic laxative which allows water to get into the large intestine instead of going out of the large intestine.
Patients with constipation can experience nausea and/or vomiting which indicates bowel obstruction, they can also experience abdominal pain such as showing symptoms of gastrointestinal cancer, Delirium, Obstipation, lower back pain, abdominal bloating, painful defecation, Hematochezia, Tenesmus, and changes of vitals can be experienced in patients with constipation.
Water intake is often advised for people who complain of a very difficult bowel movement. Exercise is also important when it comes to gut movement as it helps the contraction of the wall of the intestine. People who suffer from Hirschsprung's Disease where nerve cells that innervate the smooth muscle in the wall of the large intestine do not develop causing the muscle in the wall of the intestine to not constrict properly causing difficulty with the passing out of feces.
https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/increasing-fiber-intake
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5976340/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6140151/
https://www.statpearls.com/ArticleLibrary/viewarticle/19913
So many mystery have been said about constipation that I am beginning to wonder is constipation limited to food causes also
Constipation is a complex issue that can have various causes beyond just food-related factors. While what we eat play a significant role in bowel movements and can contribute to constipation, other factors involved as well. Lifestyle habits such as lack of physical activity or a sedentary lifestyle can slow down bowel movements and lead to constipation. Inadequate fluid intake is also no doubt a major contributor to dry stools and difficulty in getting the waste out of our body.
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