Constipation Pain

By Alana Sibley

Constipation pain may be a direct pain, or a referred pain.

An example of direct pain

Gastroenteritis is inflammation caused by constipation. This inflammation has a negative effect on the tissue or organ, resulting in abdominal pain.

Referred pain

This pain is caused by constipation, but felt in other areas of the body. 

No matter what area of the body is find relief is to address the underlying problem of constipation.

In this article, I will discuss the different constipation pains, with links to articles dealing with each one. Many of these symptoms and problems are interwoven.

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1. Constipation can cause headaches

Constipation causes you to retain waste material in the colon.  When the digestive system is not working properly toxins build up in the body.

When foods break down into waste and the waste is not eliminated the body can become like a septic tank and become toxic.  These toxins cause headaches. Read about constipation and migraines.

2. Constipation can result in stomach pain

In fact, the most frequently reported constipation pain is stomach pain. It may show up as a full feeling, nausea or cramps.

When stool is hard it tends to move less easily through the colon. Blockages can form, and these can irritate the colon. This irritation can cause the normal contractions of the colon to turn into spasms, which shows up as stomach pain.

3. Constipation can cause heartburn

Constipation means that your bowel's fecal movement has slowed down or stopped. When the colon is backed up, it backs up the small intestine.

when the intestines are backed up, the stomach has an interruption in the gastric emptying process. This is why some people with constipation experience heartburn.

4. Constipation can cause abdominal pain

When you are not eating a well-balanced diet and suffer with constipation, your stomach may experience painful bloating and gas.

Abdominal pain is caused by inflammation, distention of an organ, or by loss of blood supply to an organ. It may also be caused by harsh contractions of intestinal muscles.

5. Constipation can cause back pain

Back pain could be considered as a side-effect or symptom of constipation. This may be due to any of the following:

• Excessive pushing and straining to defecate
  
  
• Sitting in an improper posture on the toilet
  
  
• Because of poor muscle tone due to a lack of physical activity
  
  
• Gas is a side-effect of constipation. When gas becomes trapped in the colon, it can cause severe back pain.
  
  
• Blocked feces in the intestine or colon may exert pressure on the walls of the intestine and neighboring areas, causing back pain.

• When there is an accumulation of fecal matter in the large intestine and rectum, it causes the colon to become impacted.
  

This affects muscles and nerves in the adjoining area, and may trigger back pain. 

6. Constipation can cause lower back pain

When waste has built up in your colon, it can put pressure on the nerves of the lower back.

It’s normally the lower portion of the colon that becomes irritated from constipation. The longer the waste stays in the colon, the dryer and harder it becomes.

This causes one to strain and push using lower back muscles that are already stressed, adding even more constipation pain.

7. Constipation can cause acne

There have been studies done that prove constipation is associated with acne.

• Though constipation does not cause acne directly, acne is a symptom of the buildup of toxins in the bloodstream, and the release of these toxins through the pores.
  
  
• Constipation can lead to stress, and stress can cause acne.
  
  
• Poor bowel movements may be correlated with poor diet which can result in acne.

Acne is an indication, that something is wrong in your body.  

8. Constipation can cause weight gain

When a person is constipated, as much as a pound of fecal matter a day can be added to their colon. The good news is, when a person is able to clear out this fecal matter, the extra weight disappears.

Constipation may also cause water retention, which in turn causes temporary weight gain. However, more long-term weight gain can be caused by constipation.

When the body finds it difficult to eliminate accumulated fecal matter, metabolism slows down. A slower metabolism means that fewer calories are consumed, resulting in weight gain.

9. Constipation can cause bloating

• Bloating is often caused by trapped gas in the small intestine. This trapped gas causes pain in the lower back, stomach, and leaves one feeling uncomfortable. This trapped gas can also cause distention of the abdomen.
  
  
• Excess liquid in the intestine is another cause of bloating.
  
  
• Many times bloating is caused by poor digestion. Instead of beneficial bacteria doing the work of digestion, yeast can take over and ferment fecal matter. This fermentation produces excess gas.
  
  

Taking a regular probiotic may help resolve gas problems.

10. Constipation can cause gas pain

Constipation makes it very difficult to pass gas, leading to discomfort and pain. Gas pain occurs when gas builds up and cannot be expelled.

Please see constipation and abdominal pain

This gas is more likely to have a foul odor when one is constipated, which can be quite embarrassing.

Also, constipation can cause fissures in the anus, which in turn can be very painful when gas is expelled from the body.

11. Constipation can cause emotional problems

Research has found that constipation may result in depression and anxiety.  There is a direct correlation of emotional distress and constipation.

Prolonged irregular bowel movements produce stress, worry and fear. Being uncomfortable for any length of time can make a person irritable and withdrawn.

What To Do About Constipation Pain

Constipation can lead to many problems in the body, not to mention a lower quality of life. For ultimate digestive health, a daily magnesium supplement may be taken.

There is no sense in suffering from constipation pain or letting it control your life when you don’t have too.

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