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Constipation
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here for Chinese Version.
 Your
large bowel has to open regularly to empty your body's waste. In
health, stools are passed once or twice per day, or at least once
every three days. If you open your large bowels less frequently
than your usual habit, or if you have to strain excessively to pass
dry, hard, or pellet-form stools, you may have constipation.
What
causes constipation?
- Poor personal
habit and busy lifestyle
- Continual
stress
- Lack of exercise
- Insufficient
fibre in the diet
- Insufficient
fluid intake
- Laxative
abuse
- Side effect
of medications e.g. cough medicine, antidepressants
- Diseases
of the large bowel and rectum e.g. irritable colon, cancer of
the colon or rectum
- Other conditions
e.g. after operations, early pregnancy, stroke and thyroid disease
Effect
on the Body
The longer the
stool is retained in the large bowel, the harder it will become
and the more difficult to be passed out.
Constipation
may result in:
- Abdominal
pain and abdominal distention
- Worsening
of haemorrhoids
- Damage to
the anus during bowel motion giving rise to bleeding and pain
(anal fissure)
- Increased
chance of bowel cancer
What can
be done?
- Train your
large bowel to open daily at a regular time
- Take a diet
high in fibre (see High Fibre Diet pamphlet)
- Take plenty
of fluid
- Have regular
exercise
- Avoid regular
use of laxatives, they are meant to provide only temporary relief.
Long term use may affect the bowel's natural mobility.
- Stop smoking
- Avoid excessive
alcohol
- Avoid continual
stress
See your
doctor if you:-
- do not get
better
- have persistent
abdominal pain
- have periods
of diarrhoea alternating with constipation
- pass any
blood or black tarry stools
- significant
decrease in body weight
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