Constipation is a delayed, difficult or incomplete bowel movement.
It is often seen in people who are less physically active.
Constipation is often manifested in the elderly.
It is more common in people with irritable bowel syndrome than others.
Pregnancy should be considered - as you know, a number of hormonal changes take place during pregnancy and due to this process it is quite possible to develop constipation.
Keep in mind that constipation also occurs when a person's lifestyle changes. It should be noted that constipation rarely affects people whose diet contains the recommended dose of dietary fiber.
What is chronic constipation?
Chronic constipation is infrequent bowel movements or difficult passage of stools that persists for several weeks or longer.
Though occasional constipation is very common, some people experience chronic constipation that can interfere with their ability to go about their daily tasks. Chronic constipation may also cause people to strain excessively in order to have a bowel movement.
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of chronic constipation include:
- Passing fewer than three stools a week
- Having lumpy or hard stools
- Straining to have bowel movements
- Feeling as though there's a blockage in your rectum that prevents bowel movements
- Feeling as though you can't completely empty the stool from your rectum
- Needing help to empty your rectum, such as using your hands to press on your abdomen and using a finger to remove stool from your rectum
Constipation may be considered chronic if you've experienced two or more of these symptoms for the last three months.
Complications
Complications of chronic constipation include:
- Swollen veins in your anus (hemorrhoids).
- Torn skin in your anus (anal fissure).
- Stool that can't be expelled (fecal impaction).
- Intestine that protrudes from the anus (rectal prolapse).
Source:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/constipation/symptoms-causes/syc-20354253
