Chronic constipation and its effect on your health

A regular bowel movement is a natural way of exiting the waste from the body and helping it stay toxins free. It not only prevents gut health issues but also improves your overall health. On the other hand, for some people, it could be an unpleasant experience because of issues like constipation. Constipation is not uncommon in people of any age group. There could be several reasons for it like the slow movement of waste or stool in the digestive tracts, blockage in the colon and many more.

When you are constipated, your body is unable to get rid of the toxins produced by the body. According to Web med, having constipation once in a while is normal but dealing with symptoms of constipation for more than 3 months is directing you towards chronic constipation.

Lifestyle and diet are the two factors that majorly affect your digestion process. According to Healthline, some of the common reasons for chronic constipation are:

• A heavy diet consisting of dairy products and meat.
• Lack of food rich in fibre.
• Dehydration
• Ignoring the urge to go to the washroom.
• Lack of exercise
• High alcohol and caffeine consumption.

According to Mayo Clinic some of the other reasons could be:

• Blockage in the colon or rectum.
• Problem with the nerves around the rectum or colon.
• Conditions that affect the hormonal level of the body such as diabetes, pregnancy and an underactive thyroid.
• Difficulty with muscles involved in the elimination of excreta.

Some of the common symptoms of chronic constipation can be:

• Passing less than three stools in a week.
• Having lumpy or hard stools
• Straining to have bowel movements
• Experiencing a blockage in the rectum that prevents bowel movements
• An irritated feeling of not emptying stool from your rectum.

Untreated constipation can lead to several complications and result in difficulty in managing daily routines.
Here are the possible side effects of untreated or chronic constipation.

Impacted bowel is a condition when a hard mass of stool gets stuck in your colon. You may feel discomfort in the lower abdomen, especially after a meal. Other symptoms can be a headache, loss of appetite and vomiting.

Haemorrhoids or Piles: When you’re constipated, you may find yourself straining to pass stool. Straining during bowel movements can lead to swelling in veins of the anus and lower rectum. These swollen veins are known as haemorrhoids or piles. While suffering from haemorrhoids, one can experience bleeding during bowel movements. Irritation, swelling,  discomfort and pain around the anus.

Rectal Prola: Over time, a person suffering from chronic constipation can develop rectal prola. This condition appears when a part of the large intestine known as the rectum falls from its normal position. If this happens, part of the rectum can slip out of the anus. One may experience a sensation of fullness in the bowel. Itching, pain around the anus, leakage of blood or mucus from the anus.

Anal Fissure: The other reason one may experience chronic constipation can be an anal fissure. It is a small tear in the tissue that lines your anus. This tissue can tear in the condition of passing a hard stool or strain to have a bowel movement, both of which are common in people with constipation. Potential symptoms of anal fissure can be a visible tear around the anus, pain during the bowel or after it.

To prevent such conditions, it is important to visit a doctor on time.