Constipation Flashcards
What is constipation?
- infrequent bowel movements or difficult passage of stools
When does constipation most commonly occur and what may happen as a result?
- when waste or stool moves too slowly through the digestive tract
- or cannot be eliminated effectively from the rectum
- may cause the stool to become hard and dry
What are the causes of chronic constipation?
- blockages in the colon or rectum
- problems with nerves around the colon or rectum
- difficult with the pelvic muscles involved in elimination
- conditions that affect hormones in the body
What kind of blockages in the colon or rectum cause chronic constipation?
- anal fissures
- bowel obstruction
- colon or rectal cancer
- narrowing of the colon
What kind of problems with nerves around the colon or rectum can cause chronic constipation?
- neurological problems
- can affect the nerves that cause muscles in the colon and rectum to contract and move stool through the intestines
- examples: stroke, Parkinson’s disease
What kind of difficulty with the pelvic muscles involved in elimination can cause chronic constipation?
- weakened pelvic muscles
- cause an inability to co-ordinate relaxation and contraction
How and what kind of conditions that affect hormones in the body can cause chronic constipation?
- hormones help balance fluids in your body
- diseases and conditions that upset the balance of hormones may lead to constipation
- examples: diabetes, pregnancy, thyroid problems
Who is most at risk of developing constipation?
- elderly
- women
- dehydrated people
- people with diets low in fibre
- people who participate in little to no physical exercise
- people with mental healthy problems (depression or eating disorders)
- people who take certain medications
What are the signs and symptoms of constipation?
- straining to have bowel movements
- fewer than 3 bowel movements per week
- lumpy or hard stools
- feelings of blockage in the rectum
- needing help to empty rectum
When does constipation become considered chronic?
- if you have experienced 2 or more of these symptoms for the last 3 months
What are the complications of constipation?
- swollen veins in anus (haemorrhoids)
- torn skin in the anus (anal fissure)
- stool that can’t be expelled (fecal impaction)
- intestine that protrudes from the anus (rectal prolapse)
How does one develop haemorrhoids from constipation?
- straining to have a bowel movement
- may cause swelling in the veins in and around your anus
How does constipation cause anal fissures?
- a large or hard stool
- can cause tiny tears in the anus
How does constipation cause fecal impaction?
- chronic constipation may cause an accumulation of hardened stool
- this gets stuck in your intestines
How does constipation cause a rectal prolapse?
- straining to have a bowel movement
- can cause a small amount of the rectum to stretch and protrude from the anus
How can constipation be prevented?
- high-fibre diet (insoluble fibre)
- eat fewer foods with low amounts of fiber
- drink plenty of fluids
- regular exercise
- management of stress
- regular schedule for bowel movements
- make sure children who begin to eat solid foods get plenty of fibre in their diets
Which foods are sources of insoluble fibre?
- carbohydrates
- unrefined sugars
- beans
- vegetables
- fruits
- wholegrain cereals
- bran
Which food are low sources of fibre?
- processed foods
- dairy
- meat products
How do laxatives affect the body?
- irritate the intestine
- cause the intestine to expel the faeces unnaturally quickly
- this can lead to dependence on laxatives
- as the normal rhythm of the bowel and health of the muscles will be affected
What is peristaltic movement?
- the rhythmic alternating contraction and relaxation of smooth muscle that forces food through the intestine
How does soluble fibre react in water?
- easily dissolves in water
- is broken down into a gel-like substance in the colon
How does insoluble fibre react in water?
- does not dissolve in water
- is left intact as food moves through the gastrointestinal tract
How much fibre should be consumed daily?
- 20-30g
- no more than 50g
Why is soluble fibre filling? How does this benefit people?
- it delays the emptying of the stomach
- helps reduce body weight
- helps people to control their food intake
