Constipation occurs when the colon absorbs too much water or if the colon’s muscle contractions are slow or sluggish, causing the stool to move through the colon too slowly. As a result, stools can become hard and dry.

Some Common Causes of Constipation Are:

1. Constipation and Fiber
Not eating enough fiber in your diet.

2. Not Enough Liquids
Not drinking enough liquids. Drink eight 8-ounce glasses a day.

3. Lack of exercise
Lack of exercise, especially in the elderly. A 20 to 30 minute walk every day is good.

A lack of physical activity can lead to constipation, although doctors do not know precisely why. For example, constipation often occurs after an accident or during an illness when one must stay in bed and cannot exercise. Lack of physical activity is thought to be one of the reasons constipation is common in older people.

4. Some Medications Can Cause Constipation:

• Painkillers with codeine.
• Diuretics, also known as water pills.
• Medicine for depression.
• Some antacids.

5. Feeling a lot of stress.

6. Taking calcium or iron supplements.

7. Milk.

8. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) causes abdominal pain, bloating, and constipation or diarrhea.

9. Abuse of Laxatives
The common belief that people must have a daily bowel movement has led to self-medicating with OTC (over-the-counter) laxative products. Although people may feel relief when they use laxatives, typically they must increase the dose over time because the body grows reliant on laxatives in order to have a bowel movement. As a result, laxatives may become habit-forming.

10. Ignoring the Urge to Have a Bowel Movement.
People who ignore the urge to have a bowel movement may eventually stop feeling the need to have one, which can lead to constipation. Some people delay having a bowel movement because they do not want to use toilets outside the home. Others ignore the urge because of emotional stress or because they are too busy. Children may postpone having a bowel movement because of stressful toilet training or because they do not want to interrupt their play.

11. Stroke.

12. Problems with the Colon and the Rectum
Intestinal obstruction, scar tissue (adhesions), diverticulosis, tumors, colorectal stricture, Hirschsprung disease, or cancer can compress, squeeze, or narrow the intestine and rectum and cause constipation.

13. Problems with Intestinal Function

• Idiopathic (of unknown origin) constipation does not respond to standard treatment.
• Functional constipation – the bowel is healthy but not working properly. Functional constipation is often the result of poor dietary habits and lifestyle. It occurs in both children and adults and is most common in women. Three types of functional constipation:

  Colonic Inertia and Delayed Transit – Colonic inertia and delayed transit are caused by a decrease in muscle activity in the colon. These syndromes may affect the entire colon or may be confined to the lower, or sigmoid, colon.

  Pelvic Floor Dysfunction – Pelvic floor dysfunction is caused by a weakness of the muscles in the pelvis surrounding the anus and rectum. However, because this group of muscles is voluntarily controlled to some extent, biofeedback training is somewhat successful in retraining the muscles to function normally and improving the ability to have a bowel movement.

Functional constipation that stems from problems in the structure of the anus and rectum is known as anorectal dysfunction, or anismus. These abnormalities result in an inability to relax the rectal and anal muscles that allow stool to exit.

14. Constipation and Certain Diseases
Some diseases can cause constipation.

15. Dehydration
Dehydration is excessive loss of water from the body or from an organ or body part due to an illness or not drinking enough liquids. Drink eight 8-ounce glasses a day.

16. Pregnancy
Women may be constipated because of hormonal changes or because the heavy uterus compresses the intestine.

17. Aging
Aging may also affect bowel regularity because a slower metabolism results in less intestinal activity and muscle tone.

18. Traveling
People often become constipated when traveling because their normal diet and daily routines are disrupted.

Source: digestive.niddk.nih.gov – July 2007