Constipation

Constipation in Adults

The guide's purpose is to provide understanding and advice to individuals with constipation symptoms. The Constipation Guide should be used as a complement to your formal evaluation by a doctor, not as a substitute for office-based care. The Constipation Guide will provide recommendations relating to both evaluation and treatment based on the answers you give to a series of questions.

The number of questions you are asked will be determined by your symptoms. You will be asked a minimum of 12 questions, with additional questions relevant to your age, gender, or symptoms.

What is constipation?

Contrary to popular myth, it is not necessary for you to be "regular" (have daily bowel movements) for your bowel pattern to be normal. If your bowel movements are so infrequent that they cause you discomfort, or if bowel movements are an effort for you, then you are experiencing constipation.

Related Information

• Colon Polyps

• Colonoscopy

• Colorectal Cancer

• Diabetic Nephropathy

• Hemorrhoids

• Hypothyroidism

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

• Multiple Sclerosis

• Parkinson's Disease

• Uterine and Bladder Prolapse

Constipation in Adults

By answering a short series of questions, you will allow us to individualize our advice for you.

The following symptoms may indicate a serious complication of constipation, such as a complete blockage of stool:

* Nausea

* Vomiting

* Severe abdominal pain

* Stool leakage or diarrhea (despite also having prominent symptoms

   of constipation within the last 24 hours)

* A persistent urge to move your bowels

Have you experienced any of these symptoms within the last 24 hours?

Constipation in Adults

Constipation can be the result of a medical problem, and sometimes it is a valuable clue to a medical illness that has not yet been diagnosed. Sometimes, it signals that you may have a neurologic illness or injury.

Please consider the following questions:

a) Did your symptoms develop following a back or neck injury?

or

b) Have you been diagnosed with any neurological illness (Parkinson's,

Multiple Sclerosis, or other)?

Constipation in Adults

It does not sound likely that your constipation has resulted from a nerve injury in the brain or spinal cord area. However, there are also nerve endings within the intestines that may be affecting your bowel function and the function of these nerves should be considered. A common cause of constipation is nerve damage local to the intestines that is known as autonomic neuropathy. This is a common complication of diabetes.

Sometimes constipation is caused by an abnormality in the body's calcium or electrolyte balance, or it can be the result of low thyroid function. These problems can result in many other symptoms in addition to constipation. If you have several symptoms that are suggestive for an electrolyte or thyroid abnormality, then it will be important for you to have some blood tests to evaluate this possibility.

You may experience the following symptoms if you have a calcium or electrolyte imbalance or a thyroid problem:

* Fatigue

* Depression

* Difficulty staying warm

* Weight gain

* Coarse and dry skin

* Muscle cramps or muscle weakness

* Slowness of memory or thinking tasks

* Facial swelling, particularly around the eyes

* Coarse hair or hair loss

* A sensation of a lump in the throat

* A change in menstruation (lighter or heavier, or more or less frequent)

Constipation in Adults

Great! Fortunately, you do not have enough symptoms to specifically suggest an electrolyte, calcium or thyroid problem at this time.

You may not need a blood test to assess your electrolytes, calcium level, and thyroid function now, but if your constipation remains unexplained these tests may be helpful.

Persistent constipation always warrants a basic physical examination and a discussion of your diet and medicines, so we will move on to discuss medicines and constipation.