Overview
Symptoms
Evaluation
Treatment
enemas
fiber
lubricant laxatives
saline laxatives
specialist
stimulant laxatives
stool softeners
suppositories
Home Care
children
dietary fiber
enemas
laxatives
warning signs
Prevention
Underlying Cause
Unable to Move Bowels Underlying Cause
Common causes of constipation include:
- Not enough liquids in the diet
- Dehydration
- Diabetes
- Not enough dietary fiber
- Inactivity:
- Bedridden
- Drug side effects:
Less serious causes of constipation include:
- Anal fissure
- Hemorrhoids
- Ileus
- Immobility
- Irritable bowel disease
- Laxative abuse
- Pregnancy
- Rectal prolapse
- Uterine fibroids
Serious causes of constipation include:
- Appendicitis
- Colorectal cancer
- Crohn's disease
- Diverticulitis
- Diverticulosis
- Hirschsprung's disease
- Hypothyroidism
- Intestinal obstruction
- Ischemic bowel disease
- Lupus
- Multiple sclerosis
- Parkinson's disease
- Proctitis
- Prostatitis
- Scleroderma
- Spinal cord injury
- Spinal cord tumor
- Stroke
- Vitamin B deficiency
Last Updated: Jan 28, 2011 References
Authors: Stephen J. Schueler, MD; John H. Beckett, MD; D. Scott Gettings, MD
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PubMed Unable to Move Bowels References
- Bleser S, Brunton S, Carmichael B, Olden K, Rasch R, Steege J. Management of chronic constipation: recommendations from a consensus panel. J Fam Pract. 2005 Aug;54(8):691-8. [16061057]
- Brandt LJ, Prather CM, Quigley EM, Schiller LR, Schoenfeld P, Talley NJ. Systematic review on the management of chronic constipation in North America. Am J Gastroenterol. 2005;100 Suppl 1:S5-S21. [16008641]
- Clayden G, Keshtgar AS. Management of childhood constipation. Postgrad Med J. 2003 Nov;79(937):616-21. [14654570]
- Lembo A, Camilleri M. Chronic constipation. N Engl J Med. 2003 Oct 2;349(14):1360-8. [14523145]