9 Constipation Questions Answered

By Stephanie

Constipation questions. So few colons escape constipation’s oncoming grasp. But why?

Why do some people seemingly become plagued with chronic constipation while others seem to get off scotch free from its painful grasp?

Ever since my childhood, even from my very first memories, I fought the frustrating battle of simply…pooping.

This exasperated me so much, especially when I looked around and saw that my siblings performed almost effortlessly in this arena.

I couldn't help but think I was somehow strangely ‘messed up’, and I believed it was quite simply my lot in life, my path to walk, my cross to bear, to never pass stool without a tremendous amount of unpleasant pain.

With this memory in tow, this leads us to our first and most pressing of our constipation questions:

1. Why do I get constipated?

For starters, no, constipation is not a case of being lucky or unlucky, despite how many sometimes feel.

And yes, I believe women are proven to battle constipation more than men due to the higher percentage of water in their bodies.

But in reality, aside from the rare condition of colonic nerve damage, certain people get more constipated simply because, well, they’re just not eating and drinking the right stuff.

2. Does what I drink matter?

You see, the first and foremost reason we get constipated is due to the lack of water in our colons (aka in our poop).

People who do not consume their recommended water intake per day, but consume coffee and soda pop instead.

This causes them to, become dehydrated, which automatically raises their risk of a poorly functioning colon.

3. Does what I eat matter?

This is the next of our constipation questions that needs answered.

Looking back to my childhood, though I consumed the same basic meals as my colon regular siblings, it was what I ate in between meals that ended up winning my ongoing bouts of irregularity.

As I consumed all the sugary treats I could get my hands on, as well as eating all the bananas I could eat (I loved bananas), I sped quickly towards constipation lane.

So though it may be more fun to play the game of “I’m just not lucky enough to poop right”, I knowingly smile with the realization that our regularity is in our full control. Isn't that great?

4. What makes stool bulk up or pebble hard?

For the next of our constipation questions, it’s time to address the structure of our stool.

Maybe sometimes you wonder, just as I did so many times, why certain days constipated stool hits like large unforeseen boulders from the colon cave, and other days it’s like dried up, sharp bird droppings the size of beads.

I’m not trying to gross anyone out, but you know what I’m describing if you have been there. Neither type of stool is pleasant to pass.

Bulky stool

For those days you’re stuck grunting on the porcelain throne for what seems to be a small eternity of time, struggling to push out what feels like a large mountain, maybe you’re wondering how in the world your colon could be so cruel to produce such a monster.

Well, the first stages of large, hard, bulky stool are created by the high consumption of sugar, processed foods, dairy and even binding foods like apples and bananas.

Once all of this clogging matter has made its way into the inner workings of your colon, without proper fiber or water intake, it sits there, each new addition piling up on the last.

For the next few days it  continues to sit like this, growing and growing until finally your body, feeling the immense build up of pressure, finally begins to slowly work the stool mass down for its grand and painful exit.

‘Bird’ stool

Well, that was a pleasant memory, but we’re not quite done.

Now that we understand the creative energy of boulder sized stool, let's answer constipation questions concerning the pebbly hard kind that’s so exasperating to get rid of.

The ‘bird’ like stool, as I like to refer to it, is really the lesser of constipation evils.

Hard, pebble like stool is simply the beginning form of boulder stools.

5. Why don't little pebbles build up?

While some of the foods you consumed formed these small pieces, healthier parts of your diet brought an end to the hardened stool stage and helped you expel it.

The harder and sharper these pieces are is a direct display of how much or how little water remains in the colon during their forming. (hint: magnesium is the big secret to keeping stool from drying out)

6. How long is too long in between going?

Another hugely popular of our constipation questions among those experiencing colon lag is the question of how often one should experience a bowel movement.

Doctors and specialists concur that 1-3 bowel movements PER DAY is the most optimal and healthy going rate.

Many people, however, only go once every 2 days, which is still a relatively safe amount of time in avoiding the onset of constipation.

When your system reaches the point of 3 days or more, then one begins to feel abdominal discomfort, fullness and slight cramping.

In extreme cases, if you have gone 1 to 2 weeks without passing any stool, you have entered the red zone of extreme constipation and are probably experiencing extreme discomfort, loss of appetite, cramping, lethargy and even vomiting.

7. What do I do if I can’t go?

If you go more than a day between bowel movements, there are easy ways to usher you back to the feel good zone of an empty colon.

1. Drink more water, and stay hydrated.
   Having water in your colon keeps stool from getting hard and also works as a great ‘water way’ for a speedy exit.
   
   
2. Eat fiber rich foods such as broccoli, whole wheat and beans to give your stool the fiber it needs to properly form and move through your system quickly and efficiently.
   
   
3. Stay away from large amounts of sugar, processed foods, protein and dairy, as these will lengthen the transit time in the colon.

8. When should I use more extreme measures for relief?

So many times as a child, I would reach the very unpleasant extreme stage of constipation.

By extreme, I mean that I had gone at least one week since having a bowel movement and my poop had no plans of going anywhere, especially out.

When one hits this point of constipation where the poop almost seems to be jammed like a steel wall inside your colon, more extreme forms of constipation remedies are required.

Extreme remedies

I most frequently used water enemas, which blasted large amounts of warm water into my colon, helping to break up the stool masses and then creating a pressure to help force them out.

When I had hit this level of constipation, taking laxatives, eating protein and drinking water didn't do a thing to help clear the already massive blockage.

You can compare it to pouring water over a rock. The rock will still be a rock.

Another help I found in this extreme instance is to place your finger up into your rectum. This helps to stimulate the anal walls as well as shift the stool out of its complacent position.

If you have gone more than two weeks without any success, even upon the use of the more extreme methods listed above, please contact your doctor for help.

Why is it so scary not to go

If you have gone for a week or two since your last bowel movement, you’re no doubt in tremendous abdominal pain. You probably have lost your appetite and suffer from nausea and severe cramping.

My heart goes out to you. I've been there.

It’s important to understand that carrying around that much stool build up is not only physically uncomfortable, but it can make it very difficult for your body to rid itself of toxins.

When stool builds up for more than a couple of days, toxins that were supposed to be flushed away are absorbed back into your body.

This is in addition to the pressure causing nausea, vomiting and fatigue.

Colon tears

Also, if one has gone a week or more without a bowel movement, you run the dangerous risk of your colon tearing from large sized stool stretching the colon.

When the colon tears, stool leaks into the abdominal wall, causing high fever and horrible abdominal pain.

Antibiotics are needed at this point to help fight infection, and the colon may need to be surgically cut open for the stool blockages to be safely removed by hand.

So please, if you are experiencing symptoms such as these, go to your local ER for help, as this is nothing to be played around with. 

9. What are some measures to avoid constipation?

After hearing these horror stories of abdominal tears and surgical stool removal, you may be sitting on the edge of your seat, desperate for us to address the constipation questions concerning how to avoid any of this constipation mess in the first place, right?

I know I am!

While drinking water and eating a diet rich in fiber will get you started in the right direction, taking a valuable trace minerals that are many times missing in our modern diet.

Conclusion, constipation questions

To close out our constipation questions, constipation can be scary, even scarier than that last horror clown movie you accidentally clicked on late last night.

Thankfully, with a little bit of wisdom and good basic choices, you can avoid this scary little monster from visiting your colon ever again, or at least from visiting it regularly.

Thank you for stopping by.  I hope you leave feeling you have the answers to some important constipation questions, and are ready and empowered to combat your own battles of the brown bulge.

May you realize you are the hero of your own bowel story. Be strong, take care and as always, thanks for reading.

(Return from Constipation Questions to Constipation Complications)