Health Tips

‘Constipation’. A term far too familiar for almost every household. A term that dreads those experiencing it. You are one lucky one if you are blessed with smooth bowel movements! 

Are you someone who is always troubled by constipation? And do you want it to stop? Because I do. Constipation has always been UNCOMFORTABLE. 

Constipation is defined as an unsatisfactory defecation that is felt through difficult stool passage, infrequent stools of less than 3 bowel movements per week or both (MIMS, 2021). As common as it sounds, it affects people of all ages ranging from infants to elderlies. But what seems as common as this, may not be as simple as it sounds. 

Besides being caused by the lack of fibre and fluid intake, sedentary lifestyle, stress and many other day to day lifestyles and habits, constipation could also be caused by some other severe underlying diseases.

Here are some red flags to take note of, and if these symptoms seem to have spoken to you, go see a doctor to put your mind at ease. 

• Weight loss of >4.5kg or ≥10% in 3 months

• Loss of appetite

• Vomiting

• Rectal bleeding

• Abnormal physical signs such as an abdominal mass

• Family history of colon cancer and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

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References

1. https://specialty.mims.com/constipation%20in%20adults%20-%20chronic%20functional/signs%20and%20symptoms?channel=gastroenterology

2. https://bmcgastroenterol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12876-017-0672-z#:~:text=With%20Rome%20criteria%2C%20the%20prevalence,%2DC 

Image credits

1. https://www.sparkpeople.com/blog/blog.asp?post=confession_i_obsessively_dieted_my_way_to_an_unhealthy_weight

2. https://www.kidneybuzz.com/ckd-patients-wonder-what-they-should-do-about-loss-of-appetite-and-steps-to-regain-it 

3. https://familydoctor.org/condition/vomiting-and-diarrhea/ 

4. https://www.gastrodoxs.com/blog/when-is-rectal-bleeding-a-cause-for-alarm 

5. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/abdominal-mass 

6. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-complications/colon-cancer.html 

7. https://www.rdasia.com/healthsmart/11-surprising-home-remedies-for-constipation-relief 

Written By

Ms. See Wen Xin

Reviewed By

Doc2us Medical Board