As food moves through the colon it absorbs water while forming waste. Muscle contractions in the colon push food towards the rectum. By the time the waste reaches the rectum it is hard because it has lost most of its moisture. Constipation is started when the colon absorbs to much water. Or if the colons muscle contractions are slow or sluggish. Some common causes of Constipation are, not enough fiber. Not enough liquids, lack of exercise, Medication, pregnancy, old age,Abuse of laxatives, Stroke or ignoring urge to have bowel movement.
The most common cause of constipation is low a low fiber diet. People who eat lots of fiber have a smaller chance of getting constipation. Average Americans eat 5 to 14 grams of fiver a day and were supposed to eat 20 to 35 grams a day. Liquids like water and juice add to bowel movements and make them softer and easier to pass. People who have problems with constipation should drink at least eight 8 oz. glasses of liquid each day. Liquids which contain caffeine have a dehydrating affect.
Lack of exercise can cause constipation although doctors have not figured out why yet. An example of this is often after people are in an accident they have to lay in a bed and cannot exercise, many times when that happens constipation occurs.
Some medicines can cause constipations. They include Pain Medications, Antacids that contain aluminum and calcium, blood pressure medication, iron supplements, and many more.
Some people with I.B.S or (Irritable bowel syndrome) have spasms in the colon that affect bowel movements. Constipation and diarrhea often come with symptoms such as abdominal cramping, gassiness, and bloating. Although I.B.S is often a lifelong condition it is not life threatening. It is often worsened by stress but doctors see no specific reason why.
During pregnancy women often become constipated. Aging may also cause constipation because of a slower metabolism. Many people become constipated when traveling because there normal diet and daily routines are changed.
Anorexia Anorexia is a type of eating disorder in which one severely limits his or her food intake. Anorexia can be a single, limited episode in which one looses an immense amount of weight within a few months, or it can develop gradually and continue for many years. It most commonly begins in t...
The other signs of the two diseases are: wearing big or baggy clothes or dressing in layers to hide body shape and/or weight loss, obsessing with continuous exercise, experiencing dizziness, headaches, frequent soar throats or swollen glands, complaining of often feeling cold, having low blood pressure, experiencing loss of menstrual cycle, constipation or incontinence. ...
Digestion Introduction The human body uses various kinds of food for energy and growth. To be used, however, food must be changed into a form that can be carried through the bloodstream. The body's process of extracting useful nutrients from food is called digestion. The digestive system is a group of organs that perform the process by which food, containing nutrients, is eaten and broken down into different components. This breakdown makes it possible for the digested material to pass through the intestinal wall into the blood stream. ...
Excretory System The excretory system is used to excrete many chemicals and substances in the body that may be harmful to each individual's health. With out it, we, as human beings would have problems from organs in our body. These internal organs can range from problems with our pancreas, to bladder dangers. This section will explain the different parts of the excretory system and what it is used for. Components of the Excretory System: Anatomy: For the human body to survive and function properly it must receive food. ...
Of the 473 children studied, only 17% were found to have associated bowel problems with the following breakdown: constipation (42 children), constipation and diarrhea (7), diarrhea (19), food allergy (7), non-specific colitis with ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia (2), and other (4). ...
Adequate daily intake of dietary fiber helps to prevent several GI disorders such as constipation, hemorrhoids, appendicitis, and diverticulosis. ... This helps to ease and/or inhibits constipation. ... These pouches can worsen constipation, entrap feces, and can develop into diverticulitis when the diverticula become excruciatingly infected and irritated. ...
Unfortunately, without these nerves the fecal material in the body is not able to move out, causing severe constipation and in a worse situation the death of around 20 percent of infants with Hirschsprung illness. ... Louis has a Pediatric Research on the Hirschsprung disease, and they were able to investigate that about 25% of the children who are in a good condition, but are having issues with constipation are free of the illness, because the occurrence is very low. ... In children's and toddlers, the signs are slow development and anemia as red blood cells in their system are very low...
Constipation is another disorder that affects the digestive system. ... A symptom of constipation is pain or tenderness over the colon. ... Constipation can be caused by weakness of the bowel muscle or by strong, irregular contractions of these muscles. ...
