The GUT Foundation

Constipation



Constipation is common and almost one person in five over the age of 30 has constipation at some stage during their life.

Constipation refers to the consistency of the stools and any difficulty in passing them, as well as the frequency of bowel movements. Normal bowel function ranges from one to two stools a day to one stool every three to four days. Not everyone who has infrequent stoools will have other symptoms of constipation such as bloating or discomfort.

The medical definition of constipation is the infrequent passage of small or hard stools with or without straining.

What an individual believes is constipation may not match this definition. Symptoms commonly reported as constipation include:
  • Straining
  • Hard or lumpy stools
  • Incomplete evacuation
  • Unproductive calls to stool
  • Abdominal bloating/distension
  • Infrequent stools

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