There are many patients who visit our clinic with the chief complaint of "constipation"; however, the degrees of constipation differ according to individual patients’ expectancies. Some patients regard “having trouble at the time of bowel movement” as constipation, while others regard "less frequent bowel movements" as constipation. It is important for the physician to ask the patient about his/her daily and weekly frequencies of bowel movements, and the form and color of stools. At our clinic, the frequency of bowel movements is investigated and the contents of stools are checked using pictures of stools as samples for the patient.
Many of the patients complaining of constipation have been taking irritant laxatives available as over-the-counter (OTC) medications over the long term, which is one of the factors associated with difficult defecation/abnormal feces. For these patients, we prescribe weak irritant laxatives with the aim of gradually reducing dependence on such OTC laxatives and of alleviating symptoms of constipation.
Constipation is one of the major causes of hemorrhoids. One of the treatments for constipation is improvement of patients’ eating and lifestyle habits, and the other is treatment with medications. Medication therapy (drug therapy) is performed to regulate stool conditions; however, irritant laxatives are not used at out hospital. Long-term use of irritant laxatives may destroy nerve cells in the large intestine and may decrease its functions, resulting in further worsening of constipation. Constipation can be caused by colorectal cancer, internal diseases, drugs, or "irritable bowel syndrome" due to an autonomic nervous system imbalance, or by "rectal constipation" in which stools cannot be excreted despite reaching the rectum. Since there are various types of constipation, it is important to initiate treatment after establishing the diagnosis of the type of constipation.
There are various cases of constipation, and therefore symptoms must be closely checked to establish a correct diagnosis. Some patients with hemorrhoids complain of constipation, assuming that hemorrhoids are residual stools. Such patients no longer complain of constipation after hemorrhoids have been excised. Most importantly, physicians should pay attention to the possibility of colorectal cancer by which defecation is obstructed, leading to constipation. Colon and rectal examinations must be given to patients with persistent constipation.
Symptoms and causes of hemorrhoids (piles)
Constipation occurs in 60% or more of patients with anal fissure? A close relationship between constipation and anal fissure
Question to a doctor “Measures against constipation. When should you go to a hospital?”
Question to a doctor “Can persistent constipation be a cause of hemorrhoids? Tell us when to consult a physician and measures to be taken!”
