Constipation may seem on the face of it a difficult and almost humerous subject but it is no laughing matter. It is viewed as multifactorial gastrointestinal disorder (Bosshard et al., 2004). It affects adults as well as children. It is also a risk factor for colon/colorectal cancer (Tashiro et al., 2011).
The feeling of constipation is quite debilitating. You probably have it if:
- you or a relative like a child has not had a poo at least three in the week
- the poo is just difficult to push or squeeze out or seems larger than it normally is
- lumpy, hard and dry
Other feelings include being sick or just bloated and having a nasty stomach ache. It is often an unexplained sense which occurs with altered bowel habits (Thompson et al., 1999).
The reasons for constipation in adults are most commonly these:
- not eating enough fibre – such as fruit, vegetables and cereals. Dates have been traditionally consumed to help ease the passage of a stool.
- not drinking enough fluids
- not moving enough and spending long periods sitting or lying in bed
- being less active and not exercising
- often ignoring the urge to go to the toilet
- changing your diet or daily routine
- a side effect of medicine
- stress, anxiety or depression
Treatment Of Constipation
Treatment depends on the level of the condition. In some cases it is seen as a disease if the intestinal secretions are disrupted severely. The types of medication prescribed include Gaviscon or senna. These drugs sometimes cause side effects such as extreme diarrhea which in turn can induce colorectal cancer (Siegers et al., 1993). Foods especially dates or other fibre-rich ingredients have been successfully used over millenia to rectify the problem.
Leave a Reply