People experiencing difficulty and decreased ability to have bowel movements suffer from constipation. The regularity of bowel movements differs with each person. Hard stools that are difficult to pass are common after approximately three days...
The American Academy of Family Physicians defines constipation in children as one or more of the following: fewer than three bowel movements per week; dry, hard or unusually large stools; and/or stools that are difficult to pass. Risk factors...
According to the Mayo Clinic, constipation in children is a common gastrointestinal problem characterized by infrequent bowel movements or hard, dry stools. Common causes include poor diet, medications and premature toilet training. There are some...
Constipation is defined as having fewer than three bowel movements per week. Constipated stools are hard, dry, small and difficult to eliminate and the patient may experience painful bowel movements along with bloating, straining and a sensation...
Constipation occurs when bowel movements become difficult to pass or less frequent. Constipation can come on suddenly but happen infrequently, or it can continue for a long time. A low fiber diet, a lack of exercise, dehydration and certain...
If going to the bathroom leaves you feeling like you did not finish the job or if you feel like you have to evacuate your bowels but cannot get anything to come out, you might have constipation. If you regularly experience these sensations, you...
Cleansing the colon is a form of detoxification. Humans live in a polluted world where they are exposed to toxins from pesticides, insecticides, car exhaust and manufacturing waste. All of their bodies' internal organs must filter out these...
Lactulose syrup, a liquid medication used for chronic constipation, has the chemical makeup of certain sugars. This medication also comes as a powder to mix with juice. It takes at least two days for it to become effective. This medication works...
Constipation is difficulty passing stools or the occasional passing of dry, hard stools. Constipation is usually caused by the slow transit time of food moving through your large intestine. The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse...
Although some bacteria are harmful, others can be beneficial to our health. One such bacteria is the probiotic Lactobacillius casei, which can be purchased as a supplement or found in several fermented milk products, including some yogurt....
Many people use over-the-counter laxatives to treat occasional constipation. Some of the most popular laxatives used include products that contain magnesium salts. Although the use of laxatives can acutely relieve symptoms of constipation, overuse...
Constipation happens to everyone at some time in their lives. A person may encounter severe and chronic constipation. Constipation can be defined as infrequent or hard stools, pain during the passage of stool, the inability to pass stool after 10...
Many children suffer from chronic constipation due to diet or life changes. This can include toilet training or frequently eating high-fat or sugary meals and snacks. Sometimes children who are sedentary or who have ADHD have chronic constipation...
Iron supplements are usually recommended only for people who suffer an iron deficiency due to dietary restrictions or pregnancy. Iron supplements can cause a number of unpleasant side effects, which are mostly gastrointestinal. One of the side...
According to gastroenterologists Michael Camilleri and Joseph A. Murray in the 2008 edition of "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine," approximately 20 percent of Americans suffer from symptoms of chronic constipation. Constipation that...
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a condition that affects the digestive system. The muscles that are responsible for the proper digestion of food do not function properly. This leads to food being pushed through the digestive tract too quickly or...
Amitiza, or lubiprostone, is a prescription medication used in the treatment of chronic constipation and irritable bowel syndrome with constipation. According to the Amitiza website, the cause of constipation is idiopathic, or unknown, and is not...
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first approved Amitiza---generic name lubiprostone---for the treatment of chronic idiopathic constipation in 2006 and, later, in 2008, for the treatment of constipation-predominant irritable...
Most children experience stomachaches from time to time. The pain can vary in location and intensity, depending on the underlying cause. Pink cheeks may accompany the abdominal discomfort. Flushing of the facial skin is a common symptom of fever....
Prunes are often eaten as a natural laxative to relieve constipation. Similar to other high-fiber products used as laxatives, prunes contain high levels of complex sugar molecules that are difficult for the intestines to absorb. When these complex...
Doctors prescribe Amitiza, a brand name for the drug lubiprostone, for the treatment of chronic constipation and constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome. Some patients who take Amitiza complain of gastrointestinal side effects such as...
There are many reasons to want to completely clean the colon as an adult. An enema is designed to do just that. It has a thin, slender tip made to insert directly into the anus where it will reside in the exit of the anus. Squeezing the bag...
Diagnosing the cause of chronic constipation is the first step in creating a treatment plan to deal with the discomfort. Experts at the Mayo Clinic explain that medication, pain management, modifying habits and surgery are typical treatment...
Cascara sagrada, Spanish for "sacred bark," comes from the American buckthorn tree (Rhamnus purshiana) native to western North America from California to British Columbia. It also appears as far inland as western Montana. Used for at least 1,000...
Colon polyps are abnormal growths of tissue that arise in the large intestine, or colon. Normally these polyps are not dangerous, but occasionally polyps can develop into a type of colon cancer. In order to determine whether these polyps are...
If you're having fewer bowel movements than you normally have, or you're straining to have a bowel movement, you might be constipated. Many things can cause constipation, but not eating enough fiber in your diet is the most common cause, according...
According to the Mayo Clinic, several days between bowel movements; hard, dry and difficult-to-pass bowel movements; abdominal pain and/or irritability; nausea and/or poor appetite; the appearance of liquid or clay-like stool in the child's...
Colon cleansing is generally categorized into five procedures. The various types of cleansing can vary in efficiency and should be performed according to the manufacturer's directions or by a professional. Learn about the various technologies for...
Bowel patterns vary in children, just as they do in adults. Pediatric gastroenterologists Judith M. Sondheimer and Shikha Sundaram explain in the 2009 edition of "Current Diagnosis and Treatment: Pediatrics," that physicians diagnose chronic...
