LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Constipation
built 655 days ago
Constipation is a symptom of having fewer bowel movements than usual with a long or hard passing of stools. The frequency of bowel movements among healthy people varies greatly, ranging from three times a day to three a week. If more than 3 days pass without a bowel movement, the intestinal contents may harden, and stool may harden and be Discomfortful to pass. Constipation can occur at any age and most often affects women, children, and adults age 65 and over. Pregnant women ... complain of constipation, and it is a common problem following childbirth or surgery. Older people are more likely than younger people to have constipation.
Source:
Constipation is a consequence of many things, including diet, lifestyle choices, various illnesses, and certain medications [Table 1]. Inadequate fiber and fluid intake and not getting enough exercise are the main reasons people get constipated. Dietary fiber passes through the intestines without getting digested. It adds bulk to the stool, which stimulates peristalsis. Fiber ... soaks up water, which softens the stool and makes it easier to pass. This is why doctors encourage diets rich in fiber.
Source:
Author of “Your Child and Constipation,” Joni Bosch has a PhD in medicine and serves as a Pediatric and Family Nurse Practitioner. Her central idea in the article is a brief explanation of constipation and includes simple ways in preventing your child being constipated. Bosch combines her knowledge with the research done and the Center for Disabilities and Development. She stresses on different types of fluids and foods a child with constipation should intake. Though the article is brief, it covers a wide range of facts. Very useful article in understanding different aspects of constipation.
Source:
Constipation has different meanings for different people. The term can mean that stools are too small, too hard, too difficult to pass, or too infrequent. Patients may ... experience a sense of straining and incomplete evacuation.
Source:
Constipation may occur if your child is not eating enough high-fiber foods, drinking enough fluids or getting enough exercise. In many children, no cause for the constipation can be found. Having a bowel movement may have been so painful that the child began resisting the urge to have a bowel movement. Not having a bowel movement when the urge occurs can lead to constipation. Your child could be scared of being alone in the bathroom or scared of the toilet. Some children just don't want to stop playing to go to the bathroom.
Source:
Constipation affects as many as 26 percent of elderly men and 34 percent of elderly women and is a problem that has been related to diminished perception of quality of life. Constipation may be the sign of a serious problem such as a mass lesion, the manifestation of a systemic disorder such as hypothyroidism or a side effect of medications such as narcotic analgesics. The patient with constipation should be questioned about fluid and food intake, medications, supplements and homeopathic remedies. The physical examination may reveal local masses or thrombosed hemorrhoids, which may be contributing to the constipation. Visual inspection of the colon is useful when no obvious cause of constipation can be determined. Treatment should address the underlying abnormality.
Source:
MORE ABOUT
Constipation