Monday, June 28, 2010

What Causes Constipation and How to Avoid It

Usually constipation is caused when excess water is absorbed by the colon or if contractions of the colon's muscles are sluggish or slow. It also causes the stool to move slowly through the colon. Due to this condition, stool can become dry and hard. Some of the common causes of constipation are milk, irritable bowel syndrome, dehydration, problems with the colon and rectum, problems with intestinal function, specific diseases or conditions like stroke, ignoring the urge to have a bowel movement, abuse of laxatives, medications, not enough fiber in the diet, lack of physical activity, changes in life or routine like pregnancy, aging and travel etc.

1. Medications - Medications is an important cause of constipation. Medicines like codeine, oxycodone and hydromorphone used for narcotic pain, medications for antidepressants like imipramine and amitriptyline and iron supplements.

2. Bowel movements are totally under voluntary control. This means that people can control their feeling and need to have a bowel movement and it can be easily suppressed. So many people can suppress an urge to defecate. If this symptom occurs frequently then it may lead to a disappearance of urges and result in this condition of constipation.

3. Diet is an important part and even important factor of constipation. It is very important for maintaining a soft and bulky stool. Diets which are especially low in fiber are an important cause for constipation. The natural sources of fiber are vegetables, fruits and the whole grain.

4. Laxatives are an important factor for causing constipation. Excess use of stimulant laxatives like senna, castor oil and certain herbs are one of the suspected causes of constipation. There is a direct association between the chronic use of stimulant laxatives, nerves which get damaged and also the muscles of colon. This damage is only responsible for constipation. But this fact is not yet clear that laxatives causes the damage or damage has been caused prior to intake of laxatives and for this purpose only the laxatives has been taken. But it should be kept in mind that stimulants laxatives cause the damage to colon so it must be taken as a last resort when all the non-stimulant treatments have failed.

5. Some hormonal disorders can also affect the bowel movements like intake of high levels of estrogen and progesterone during the period of pregnancy also causes constipation. Constipation is also caused when there are too little production of thyroid hormone and excess production of parathyroid hormone. Constipations are also caused among the woman during their menstrual period.

Read useful Home Remedies for Constipation. Read some useful Home Remedies for Premature Ejaculation.

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