So many people complain about being constipated. That bloated feeling, the bulging abdomen, the scare at the thought of visiting the loo and the pain that accompanies when pooping. However, many people feel ashamed or uncomfortable about discussing something like stool.

Rather than wasting energy and time in fretting over this –albeit– awkward conversation, it is important to remedy this situation. Constipation may be taken lightly by most people but may possibly lead to all sorts of complications.

How to tell if you are constipated?

Off and on, bowel movements can be affected if we change our dietary habits or make lifestyle changes. However, chronic constipation is observed when the symptoms are experience for around 3 months.

The symptoms of chronic constipation include a decreased frequency of stools; having less than three stools per week is alarming. Moreover, hard stools and straining to pass them also is a common sign.  People also complain of feeling bloated and nauseous.

Some people also cannot completely pass off the stool in this state. They also thus may need to either press upon their abdomen or using fingers to eject the stool from the rectum.

If anyone has been experiencing some of the aforementioned symptoms, they need to visit the best gastroeterologist in Karachi, immediately.

What are the dangers of chronic constipation?

Discomfort notwithstanding, constipation is a rather serious condition. Not only because it can lead to different complications and diseases, but also because it can be a symptom of some other disease as well. Following are the different dangers presented by constipation:

Hemorrhoids

While other factors like age and obesity also contribute towards this disease, it is also often occurs due to constipation. Hemorrhoids is essentially the inflammation of the blood vessels around the anus.

There can be two types of hemorrhoids; internal and external. A salient feature of the former are the bloody stools. They are painless and bleed internally. These types of hemorrhoids are mostly not visible, but they may protrude out of the anus, resulting in the stated known as ‘prolapsed’ internal hemorrhoids. Depending on the patients, these may go in of their own accord or not.

On the other hand, external hemorrhoids can be felt in the ring of the muscles around the anus. They can be extremely painful and itchy. Wiping after oneself may also become a daunting prospect.

A doctor generally needs to perform physical exam alongside patient symptoms and history to establish a case of hemorrhoids.

Anal Fissures:
Another painful condition that occurs due to constipation are the anal fissures. These are the tears in the anus that happen due to trauma to the region. Most often it is due to hard stool, chronic constipation, or some conditions like pregnancy and Crohn’s disease may also lead to the tears.

Symptoms of anal fissures include bleeding from the rectum, bloody stools, urination problems, painful bowel movement, bad-smelling discharge. At times, the tear is very apparent as well.

The treatment for anal fissures primarily includes ensuring soft stools, and therefore curing constipation, ointments and potions of all sorts. Extreme cases may even require surgical intervention as well.

Diverticulitis:

Diverticulitis is a condition marked by the protrusions in the gastrointestinal tract, especially the lower intestine (the colon). These bulges can also become inflamed, leading to the painful infection that leads to fever, nausea alongside the pain.

Other symptoms of diverticulosis include abdominal pain, bloating, tenderness of the pelvic region. A low-fiber diet along with constipation results in the formation of these bulges. This condition needs urgent expert care as it can also lead to blockage of the bowel, the pouch and become inflamed and ruptured, leading to peritonitis which requires emergency care etc.

Hence, it is not to be taken lightly.

Fecal Impaction

This condition refers to the accumulation of stool inside of the intestine. Due to chronic constipation, the hard stool can get stuck inside of the rectum or the colon. The mass gets so severely lodged in the body, that pushing it out is not possible for the patient.

Symptoms of this condition include explosive diarrhea, pain in the back and the stomach, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fever, breathing problem, dehydration, lowered blood pressure, bloating, palpitations or high heartbeat rate etc.

Fecal impaction is a serious condition that can also be lethal. Anyone experiencing these symptoms needs to urgently visit the hospital.

The doctor might take history and perform physical exam. Sometimes an enema is used to help in stool removal, other times it needs to be physically removed via hand.

Constipation- a symptom

Diseases like IBS, colorectal cancer, hypothyroidism, intestinal obstruction, lupus etc. also leads to chronic constipation. Hence, anyone who has constipation despite healthy dietary and lifestyle habits, needs to visit the  best stomach specialist in Lahore to ascertain the possible underlying condition leading to this bowel problem.