Constipation 1

Constipation
Constipation in a young child as seen by X-ray. Circles represent areas of fecal matter (stool is opaque white surrounded by black
bowel gas).

ICD-10 [1]
K 59.0

ICD-9 [2]
564.0

DiseasesDB [3]
3080

MedlinePlus [4]
003125

eMedicine [5]
med/2833

MeSH [6]
D003248

Constipation (also known as costiveness,[7] dyschezia,[8] and dyssynergic defaecation[8] ) refers to bowel
movements that are infrequent and hard to pass.[8] Constipation is a common cause of painful defecation. Severe
constipation includes obstipation and fecal impaction (see also Bowel obstruction).
Constipation is common; in the general population incidence of constipation varies from 2 to 30%.[9]
Constipation is a symptom with many causes. These causes are of two types: obstructed defecation and colonic slow
transit (or hypomobility). About 50% of patients evaluated for constipation at tertiary referral hospitals have
obstructed defecation.[9] This type of constipation has mechanical and functional causes. Causes of colonic slow
transit constipation include diet, hormones, side effects of medications, and heavy metal toxicity.
Treatments include changes in dietary habits, laxatives, enemas, biofeedback, and surgery. Because constipation is a
symptom, not a disease, effective treatment of constipation may require first determining the cause.

Definition
The definition of constipation includes the following:[10] [11] [12] [13]
• infrequent bowel movements (typically three times or fewer per
week)
• difficulty during defecation (straining during more than 25% of
bowel movements or a subjective sensation of hard stools), or
• the sensation of incomplete bowel evacuation.
The Rome III criteria are widely used to diagnose chronic constipation,
and are helpful in separating cases of chronic functional constipation
from less-serious instances.[14]

Children
Constipation in children usually occurs at three distinct points in time:
after starting formula or processed foods (while an infant), during toilet
training in toddlerhood, and soon after starting school (as in a
Types 1 and 2 on the Bristol Stool Chart indicate
kindergarten) [15]
constipation
Constipation 2

After birth, most infants pass 4-5 soft liquid bowel movements (BM) a day. Breast-fed infants usually tend to have
more BM compared to formula-fed infants. Some breast-fed infants have a BM after each feed, whereas others have
only one BM every 2–3 days. Infants who are breast-fed rarely develop constipation.[16] By the age of 2 years, a
child will usually have 1-2 bowel movements per day and by 4 years of age, a child will have one BM per day.[17]

Causes
The causes of constipation can be divided into congenital, primary, and secondary.[8] The most common cause is
primary and not life threatening.[18] In the elderly, causes include: insufficient dietary fiber intake, inadequate fluid
intake, decreased physical activity, side effects of medications, hypothyroidism, and obstruction by colorectal
cancer.[19]

Primary
Primary or functional constipation is ongoing symptoms for greater than 6 months not due to any underlying cause
such as medication side effects or an underlying medical condition.[8] [20] It is not associated with abdominal pain
thus distinguishing it from irritable bowel syndrome.[8] It is the most common cause of constipation.[8]

Diet
Constipation can be caused or exacerbated by a low fiber diet, low liquid intake, or dieting.[11] [12]

Medication
Many medications have constipation as a side effect. Some include: opioids (e.g. common codeine pain killers),
diuretics, antidepressants, antihistamines, antispasmodics, anticonvulsants, and aluminum antacids [11] [14]

Metabolic & muscular

Metabolic and endocrine problems which may lead to constipation include: hypercalcemia, hypothyroidism, diabetes
mellitus, cystic fibrosis, and celiac disease.[11] [18] Constipation is also common in individuals with muscular and
myotonic dystrophy.[11]

Structural and functional abnormalities

Constipation has a number of structural (mechanical, morphological, anatomical) causes, including: spinal cord
lesions, Parkinsons, colon cancer, anal fissures, proctitis, and pelvic floor dysfunction.[18]
Constipation also has functional (neurological) causes, including anismus, descending perineum syndrome, and
Hirschsprung's disease.[9] In infants, Hirschsprung's disease is the most common medical disorder associated with
constipation. Anismus occurs in a small minority of persons with chronic constipation or obstructed defecation.[21]

Psychological
Voluntary withholding of the stool is a common cause of constipation.[11] The choice to withhold can be due to
factors such as fear of pain, fear of public restrooms, or laziness.[11]

Diagnostic approach
The diagnosis is essentially made from the patient's description of the symptoms. Bowel movements that are difficult
to pass, very firm, or made up of small hard pellets (like those excreted by rabbits) qualify as constipation, even if
they occur every day. Other symptoms related to constipation can include bloating, distension, abdominal pain,
headaches, a feeling of fatigue and nervous exhaustion, or a sense of incomplete emptying.[22]
Constipation 3

Inquiring about dietary habits will often reveal a low intake of dietary fiber, inadequate amounts of fluids, poor
ambulation or immobility, or medications that are associated with constipation.[11] [12]
During physical examination, scybala (manually palpable lumps of stool) may be detected on palpation of the
abdomen. Rectal examination gives an impression of the anal sphincter tone and whether the lower rectum contains
any feces or not. Rectal examination also gives information on the consistency of the stool, presence of hemorrhoids,
admixture of blood and whether any tumors, polyps or abnormalities are present. Physical examination may be done
manually by the physician, or by using a colonoscope. X-rays of the abdomen, generally only performed if bowel
obstruction is suspected, may reveal extensive impacted fecal matter in the colon, and confirm or rule out other
causes of similar symptoms.[11] [12]
Chronic constipation (symptoms present at least three days per month for more than three months) associated with
abdominal discomfort is often diagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) when no obvious cause is found.[23]
Colonic propagating pressure wave sequences (PSs) are responsible for discrete movements of the bowel contents
and are vital for normal defecation. Deficiencies in PS frequency, amplitude and extent of propagation are all
implicated in severe defecatory dysfunction (SDD). Mechanisms that can normalise these aberrant motor patterns
may help rectify the problem. Recently the novel therapy of sacral nerve stimulation (SNS) has been utilized for the
treatment of severe constipation.[24]

Prevention
Constipation is usually easier to prevent than to treat. Following the relief of constipation, maintenance with
adequate exercise, fluid intake, and high fiber diet is recommended.[11] Children benefit from scheduled toilet
breaks, once early in the morning and 30 minutes after meals.[11] [25]

Treatment
The main treatment of constipation involves the increased intake of water, and fiber (either dietary or as
supplements).[18] The routine use of laxatives is discouraged, as having bowel movements may come to be
dependent upon their use. Enemas can be used to provide a form of mechanical stimulation. However, enemas are
generally useful only for stool in the rectum, not in the intestinal tract.

Laxatives
If laxatives are used, milk of magnesia is recommended as a first-line agent due to its low cost and safety.[18]
Stimulants should only be used if this is not effective.[18] In cases of chronic constipation, prokinetics may be used to
improve gastrointestinal motility. A number of new agents have shown positive outcomes in chronic constipation;
these include prucalopride,[26] and lubiprostone.[27]

Physical intervention
Constipation that resists the above measures may require physical intervention such as manual disimpaction (the
physical removal of impacted stool using the hands; see Fecal impaction).
Constipation 4

Pediatric
Lactulose and milk of magnesia have been compared with polyethylene glycol (PEG) in children. All had similar
side effects, but PEG was more effective at treating constipation.[28] [29] Osmotic laxatives are recommended over
stimulant laxatives.[30]

Prognosis
Complications that can arise from constipation include hemorrhoids, anal fissures, rectal prolapse, and fecal
impaction.[25] [31] [32] [33] Straining to pass stool may lead to hemorrhoids. In later stages of constipation, the
abdomen may become distended, hard and diffusely tender. Severe cases ("fecal impaction" or malignant
constipation) may exhibit symptoms of bowel obstruction (vomiting, very tender abdomen) and encopresis, where
soft stool from the small intestine bypasses the mass of impacted fecal matter in the colon.

Epidemiology
Constipation is the most common digestive complaint in the United States as per survey data.[34] Depending on the
definition employed, it occurs in 2% to 20% of the population.[18] [35] It is more common in women, the elderly and
children.[35] The reasons it occurs more frequently in the elderly is felt to be due to an increasing number health
problems as humans age and decreased physical activity.[20]
• 12% of the population worldwide reports having constipation.[36]
• Chronic constipation accounts for 3% of all visits annually to pediatric outpatient clinics[31]
• Constipation-related healthcare costs total $6.9 billion in the US annually[18]
• More than 4 million Americans have frequent constipation, accounting for 2.5 million physician visits a year.[33]
• Around $725 million is spent on laxative products each year in America.[33]

See also
• Bowel management
• Defecation

References
[1] http:/ / apps. who. int/ classifications/ apps/ icd/ icd10online/ ?gk55. htm+ k590
[2] http:/ / www. icd9data. com/ getICD9Code. ashx?icd9=564. 0
[3] http:/ / www. diseasesdatabase. com/ ddb3080. htm
[4] http:/ / www. nlm. nih. gov/ medlineplus/ ency/ article/ 003125. htm
[5] http:/ / www. emedicine. com/ med/ topic2833. htm
[6] http:/ / www. nlm. nih. gov/ cgi/ mesh/ 2009/ MB_cgi?field=uid& term=D003248
[7] "Costiveness - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary" (http:/ / www. merriam-webster. com/ dictionary/
costiveness). .
[8] Chatoor D, Emmnauel A (2009). "Constipation and evacuation disorders". Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol 23 (4): 517–30.
doi:10.1016/j.bpg.2009.05.001. PMID 19647687.
[9] PMID 16677147
[10] Emedicine (http:/ / www. emedicine. com/ med/ topic2833. htm), "constipation".
[11] Walia R, Mahajan L, Steffen R. Recent advances in chronic constipation. Curr Opin Pediatr. (2009);21(5):661-6. PMID: 19606041
[12] McCallum IJ, Ong S, Mercer-Jones M. Chronic constipation in adults. BMJ. (2009);338:b831. doi: 10.1136/bmj.b831. PMID: 19304766
[13] Emmanuel AV, Tack J, Quigley EM, Talley NJ. Pharmacological management of constipation. Neurogastroenterol Motil. (2009);21 Suppl
2:41-54. PMID: 19824937
[14] Selby, Warwick. "Managing constipation in adults" (http:/ / www. australianprescriber. com/ magazine/ 33/ 4/ 116/ 9). Australian Prescriber
(33): 116–9. . Retrieved 27 August 2010.
[15] Greene Alan, Pediatrician. "Infant constipation" (http:/ / www. drgreene. com/ qa/ infant-constipation) 2010-01-26.
[16] Patient information: Constipation in infants and children (http:/ / www. uptodate. com/ patients/ content/ topic.
do?topicKey=~HZ_HxVsfKqVTRj) 2010-01-26
Constipation 5

[17] Infant Constipation remedies (http:/ / www. infant-constipation. net/ ) 2010-01-26

[18] Locke GR, Pemberton JH, Phillips SF (December 2000). "American Gastroenterological Association Medical Position Statement: guidelines
on constipation" (http:/ / www. gastro. org/ user-assets/ Documents/ 02_Clinical_Practice/ medical_position_statments/ constipation_mps.
pdf). Gastroenterology 119 (6): 1761–6. doi:10.1053/gast.2000.20390. PMID 11113098. .
[19] Leung FW (February 2007). "Etiologic factors of chronic constipation: review of the scientific evidence". Dig. Dis. Sci. 52 (2): 313–6.
doi:10.1007/s10620-006-9298-7. PMID 17219073.
[20] Hsieh C (December 2005). "Treatment of constipation in older adults". Am Fam Physician 72 (11): 2277–84. PMID 16342852.
[21] PMID 9293931
[22] MedicineNet (http:/ / www. medicinenet. com/ constipation/ article. htm)
[23] Longstreth GF, Thompson WG, Chey WD, Houghton LA, Mearin F, Spiller RC (2006). "Functional bowel disorders". Gastroenterology
130 (5): 1480–91. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2005.11.061. PMID 16678561.
[24] Philip G. Dinning (2007). "Colonic manometry and sacral nerve stimulation in patients with severe constipation". Pelviperineology 26 (3):
114–116. (http:/ / www. pelviperineology. com/ pelvis/ severe_constipation_colonic_manometry_sacral_nerve_stimulation. html)
[25] Bharucha A. Constipation. Best Practice and Research Clinical Gastroenterology. 2007;21:709.
[26] Camilleri M, Deiteren A (February 2010). "Prucalopride for constipation". Expert Opin Pharmacother 11 (3): 451–61.
doi:10.1517/14656560903567057. PMID 20102308.
[27] Barish CF, Drossman D, Johanson JF, Ueno R (April 2010). "Efficacy and safety of lubiprostone in patients with chronic constipation". Dig.
Dis. Sci. 55 (4): 1090–7. doi:10.1007/s10620-009-1068-x. PMID 20012484.
[28] "BestBets: Is PEG (Polyethylene Glycol) a more effective laxative than Lactulose in the treatment of a child who is constipated?" (http:/ /
www. bestbets. org/ bets/ bet. php?id=1471). .
[29] Candy D, Belsey J (February 2009). "Macrogol (polyethylene glycol) laxatives in children with functional constipation and faecal
impaction: a systematic review" (http:/ / www. pubmedcentral. nih. gov/ articlerender. fcgi?tool=pmcentrez& artid=2614562). Arch. Dis.
Child. 94 (2): 156–60. doi:10.1136/adc.2007.128769. PMID 19019885. PMC 2614562.
[30] "BestBets: Osmotic laxative are preferable to the use of stimulant laxatives in the constipated child" (http:/ / www. bestbets. org/ bets/ bet.
php?id=1478). .
[31] Walia R, Mahajan L, Steffen R (October 2009). "Recent advances in chronic constipation". Curr. Opin. Pediatr. 21 (5): 661–6.
doi:10.1097/MOP.0b013e32832ff241. PMID 19606041.
[32] McCallum IJ, Ong S, Mercer-Jones M (2009). "Chronic constipation in adults". BMJ 338: b831. doi:10.1136/bmj.b831. PMID 19304766.
[33] National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. (2007) NIH Publication No. 07–2754. http:/ / digestive. niddk. nih. gov/ ddiseases/
pubs/ constipation/ #treatment, Accessed 7-18-10.
[34] "CONSTIPATION" (http:/ / www. uwgi. org/ guidelines/ ch_05/ CH05TXT. HTM). .
[35] Sonnenberg A, Koch TR (1989). "Epidemiology of constipation in the United States". Dis. Colon Rectum 32 (1): 1–8.
doi:10.1007/BF02554713. PMID 2910654.
[36] Wald A, Kamm MA, Muller-Lissner SA, Scarpignato C, Marx W, Schuijt C. The BI Omnibus Study: An international survey of community
prevalence of constipation and laxative use in adults. Digestive Disorders Week. 20–25 May 2006. Abstract T1255. http:/ / www. dulcolaxo.
es/ es/ Main/ Notas_de_Prensa/ Poster_Epi_data_FINAL_06. 05. 08. pdf, Accessed 7-18-10)

External links
• 09-129b. (http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec09/ch129/ch129b.html) at Merck Manual of Diagnosis and
Therapy Home Edition
• Constipation - Introduction (http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Constipation/Pages/Introduction.aspx) (UK NHS
site)
• MedlinePlus Overview constipation (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/constipation.html)
• Constipation Guideline (http://www.worldgastroenterology.org/05_constipation.pdf.html) - the World
Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO)
• Constipation treatment guide (http://www.unconstipated.com/constipation-treatment.php) - Canadian Society
for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
Article Sources and Contributors 6

Article Sources and Contributors

Constipation  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=389030281  Contributors: (aeropagitica), 0Aldrin0, 19DrPepper91, 1archie99, 1r1jnodk, 5 albert square, 9Nak, ABF, AZDub,
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Johnpawl, Jojit fb, Jonathan.x.jackson, Jonathan108, Jophus00, Jossi, Joyous!, Jwissick, Kafziel, Karn, Kauczuk, Kbk, Kesava ananth, Kkrebs, Komputa, Kudret abi, Kukini, Kuygliugliugliug,
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Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors

Image:Bristol Stool Chart.png  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Bristol_Stool_Chart.png  License: GNU Free Documentation License  Contributors: Original uploader
was Kylet at en.wikipedia Later versions were uploaded by Juppiter at en.wikipedia.

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