Constipation occurs when bowel movements become less frequent and stools become difficult to pass. It happens most often due to changes in diet or routine, or due to inadequate intake of fiber.
Features that usually define constipation include:
- Having less than 3 bowel movement per week
- Your stools are dry and hard.
- Your bowel movement is painful and stools are difficult to pass.
- You have a feeling that you have not fully emptied your bowels.
- People of all ages can have an occasional bout of constipation.
There are also certain people and situations that are more likely to lead to becoming more consistently constipated (“chronic constipation”). These include:
- Older age: Older people tend to be less active, have a slower metabolism and less muscle contraction strength along their digestive tract than when they were younger.
- In woman, especially while pregnant and after childbirth. Changes in a woman’s hormones make them more prone to constipation. The baby inside the uterus squishes the intestines, slowing down the passage of stool.
- Not eating enough high-fiber foods. High-fiber foods keep food moving through the digestive system.
- Not drinking enough water (dehydration).
- Not getting enough exercise.
- Changes in your regular routine, such as traveling or eating or going to bed at different times.
- Taking certain medications like the narcotics containing codeine,Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, like ibuprofen.
- Having certain neurological (diseases of the brain and spinal cord) and digestive disorders
- Slow movements of colon leads to absorbtion too much water from waste (stool/poop), which dries out the stool making it hard in consistency and difficult to push out of the body.
- According to ayurveda disturbance of vata is main cause of constipation (Vibandha) which is caused due eating over dry food or spicy food, resisting the urge to have a bowel movement.
Management :
- Drink plenty of water.
- Taking fiber containing diet.
- Good sources of fiber are fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole-grain breads and cereals.
- Liquids that contain caffeine, such as coffee and soft drinks, can dehydrate you.
- Stop drinking these products until your bowel habits return to normal.
- Exercise regularly.
- In Ayurveda: As per patient’s history we at yogis ayurveda gives medication to patient according to root cause .
- Some medication includes : Castor oil , Kabaj gul powder, Agastya haritaki avleha etc .
- All these medicines are prepared at our own pharmacy and with proper care .
