Contents
Constipation
– one of the most common complaints among many people. However, patients rarely go to the doctor with this problem, often feeling embarrassed or thinking that constipation is not a disease and can be treated on their own.
The normal frequency of bowel movements is once a day, but only 1/3 of people fall under this norm, and 3/4 of the rest have regular bowel movements – once every two days. The consequence of this is that completely healthy people are treated for constipation for no reason and drink laxatives in large quantities.
The thing is that the frequency of bowel movements (defecation) in healthy people is individual. The norm is considered to be a stool frequency of 3 times/day to 3 times/week.
meet:
The author of this article is a leading gastroenterologist at the Prima Medica network of clinics,
doctor of the highest category Dzhizalov Atsamaz Khasanovich.
- work experience since 2006
- graduated from the Saratov Military Medical Institute
- clinical residency in 2016
Constipation symptoms
Constipation can be diagnosed if at least two of the following symptoms are present:
- the need to strain;
- stool is hard;
- feeling of incomplete bowel movement;
- the need for assistance during bowel movements;
- less than two bowel movements per week.
When making a diagnosis, the individual frequency of bowel movements is taken into account. A change in the frequency of bowel movements habitual for a given patient is an important sign in establishing the correct diagnosis.
Constipation reasons
Disruption of the processes of formation and movement of feces through the intestines causes constipation.
The main reasons are:
- impaired motor motility of the intestinal muscles;
- weakening of the urge to defecate;
- changes in the structure of the intestine or organs close to it;
- discrepancy between the capacity of the colon and the volume of contents;
- disorders of intestinal motor function are caused by various reasons. The main ones are various neurogenic factors (autonomic dysfunction – under the influence of depression, fear, mental stress);
- diseases of the thyroid gland, adrenal glands, due to a violation of the influence of hormones on the intestines;
- circulatory disorders in the intestinal vessels (atherosclerosis);
- insufficient physical activity (hypodynamia) inhibits intestinal motor function;
- taking medications that cause constipation;
- changes in usual living and working conditions;
- inflammatory bowel disease.
Consequences of constipation
- imbalance of vitamins (B12, folic acid, biotin), as a consequence of the impact on metabolic processes;
- secondary colitis;
- inflammation of the sigmoid and rectum (proctosigmoiditis);
- development of enteritis (reflux enteritis);
- complications of biliary tract diseases, hepatitis;
- the appearance of various diseases of the rectum (hemorrhoids, rectal fissures, inflammation of the perirectal tissue (paraproctitis));
- expansion and lengthening of the colon (acquired megacolon);
- rectal and colon cancer.
Diagnosis and treatment of constipation
When diagnosing constipation, it is extremely important to correctly identify the causes that caused it. That is why it is necessary to see a gastroenterologist who will conduct the necessary diagnostics and prescribe a treatment plan. Since the causes of the disorder are varied, the treatment prescribed by a gastroenterologist must be individual: for some, it is enough to change their diet and lifestyle, while for others, a thorough examination of the endocrine system is necessary.