Most Common Causes of Constipation!!

Constipation is characterized by irregular or infrequent bowel movements. It may be caused a number of factors i.e.

 Bad eating habits: constipation may be caused by the intake of low fiber diet. Less consumption of liquid may also results in constipation.

 Poor bowel habits: Some people ignore the desire to have bowel movements which may initiates a cycle of constipation

 Medications or drugs: Some medications may cause constipation i.e.
• Antidepressants
• Iron tablets
• Antacids
• Antispasmodic drugs
• Anticonvulsant drugs
• Painkillers – drugs containing narcotic

 Life style changes may leads to constipation

 Pregnancy: - certain factors during pregnancy produce severe pain on defecation which may stimulates a reflex spasm of the anal sphincter muscle. This spasm may delay bowel movement and cause constipation.

 Irritable bowel syndrome: - During this syndrome abdominal pain, excessive gas, bloating and cramps may occur. It may leads to constipation.

 Laxatives dependency: - People who use laxatives regularly will produce dependency on them. After sometime you will become insensitive to laxatives.

 Intestinal Obstructions: - Interference with the normal functions of the bowel and mechanical compression may occur in the following cases:
• Foreign bodies or intestinal tumors
• Gallstones
• Volvulus- twisting of the intestine upon itself
• Abdominal hernia
• If nerves inside your intestine gets damaged
• Connective tissue diseases including lupus and scleroderma
• Metabolic disorders
• Lead poisoning

 Ageing: Older people are more susceptible to constipation as compared to adults because of the following reasons:
• Poor diet
• Lack of exercise
• Prescription drugs side-effects
• Poor bowel habits
• Enemas and laxatives usage