Constipation is one of the gastrointestinal condition. It usually happened due to the inadequate of the bowel movement that causes the stools move slowly. The body absorb too much of water that led to the stools become hard, dry and difficult to pass. The healthy stools should be either a sausage-shaped like, cracks on the surface or smooth and soft.
Symptoms of Constipation
- Cramps
- Feel bloated and nausea
- Dry, lumpy stools
- Painful during defecation
- Use the finger to pass the stools
- Feeling not all stools has pass
Cause of Constipation
There are a number of things that contribute to the condition, including:
- not consume enough fibre, such as fruit, vegetables and cereals
- Insufficient water intake
- a change in your routine or lifestyle, such as travel, pregnancy, old age, a change in your eating habits
- ignoring the urge to pass stools
- Intestinal function impaired
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- side effects of certain medications
- anxiety or depressions
Complication
- Abdominal discomfort
- Faecal impaction (where dry, hard stool collect in the rectum)
- Hemorrhoids
- Anal fissure (damage to the lining of anal canal)
- Poor quality of life
Treatment for improving constipation condition
Visceral Manipulation
- abdominal massage is effective in treating chronic constipation by stimulating peristalsis (muscle contractions that move food through the digestive tract), decreasing colonic transit time, increasing frequency of bowel movements, and decreasing discomfort and pain associated with constipation
Diet
- Choose the diet that is not too low in fiber, fluids or too high in fats which contribute to constipation. Fiber absorbs water which lead the stools to be larger, softer, and easier to pass.
- Drink more water to make the body stays hydrated.
Exercise
- Aerobic exercise, such as walking and jogging help to increase the respiratory rate and heart rate in order to improve the gastric motility. Hence, the food move faster to be moved towards large intestine.
Prepared By
Chan Xin Yee
Your Physio Petaling Jaya