Severe Chronic Constipation

By Dr. Nuwanthi Fernando
Severe chronic constipation

As the world has become more and more developed, our diets have become less and less healthy.

Convenience is the driving force behind processed, quick meals. Processed foods, in turn, are a main factor in the great increase in constipation.

Chronic constipation

Most of us have been constipated at one time or another in our lives.

However, when this condition lingers on for months and even years, it is termed chronic constipation.

Chronic constipation should be dealt with, before it results in more serious conditions.

Symptoms of Chronic Constipation

The way to tell if you are suffering from chronic constipation is to determine if some of the following symptoms have gone on for more than 3 months.

• Stools are hard to pass
  
  
• Straining is required
  
  
• You have less than 3 bowel movements a week
  
  
• There is a feeling of incomplete evacuation of stool
  
  
• Bulging of the stomach, accompanied by gas
  
  
• Thick or solid stools
  
  
• Pain during defecation

Causes of Severe Chronic Constipation

Lifestyle factors

• Eating foods that tend to cause constipation 
  
  
• Not eating the foods that may help alleviate constipation 
  
  
• Dehydration, which may be caused by drinking too little water, getting too much caffeine, or excessive sweating
  
  
• Not getting sufficient exercise

Medications can cause chronic constipation

• calcium channel blockers
  
  
• Opiates
  
  
• Taking an iron supplement 
  
  
• Calcium supplements
  
  
• Antacids containing calcium

Ongoing constipation may be caused by these medical conditions:

• Diabetes mellitus
  
  
• Hypothyroidism
  
  
• Depression
  
  
• Hypercalcemia (high amount of calcium in the body)
  
  
• Immobility
  
  
• Autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis
  
  
• Other diseases and infections of the gastrointestinal system

Your doctor may be the best person to help you determine how severe your constipation problem is, and what is causing it.

Treating Chronic Constipation

Identify the causes

In order to be free from severe chronic constipation, it is helpful to pinpoint the factors causing it.

Once these are known, a strategy for overcoming chronic constipation can be developed.

Changes in diet and exercise

For most of us, we may need to adopt certain lifestyle changes, especially if our diet is filled with fast foods and processed foods containing almost no fiber (this describes most of what we can buy in a grocery store)

• Get 25 to 35 grams of fiber a day
  
  
• Avoid hard to digest dairy products, unless they are unpastuerized
  
  
• Balance out meat consumption with foods high in fiber 
  
  
• Stay hydrated. Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day
  
  
• Get a little exercise every day

Are medications the best answer?

Perhaps the easiest way to treat constipation is with modern constipation medications.

However, this is treating symptoms instead of the underlying problem. Plus long-term use may have some unwanted side effects.

A long-lasting solution

Recently I discovered a natural, non-habit forming answer to constipation. It is a low sodium sea mineral concentrate with 422 mg. of magnesium per daily dose.

This supplement are inexpensive, and may be one of the best ongoing solutions for constipation that I have found.

Most Americans don’t get enough magnesium in the foods we eat, which is why taking a daily magnesium supplement may result in numerous health benefits. 

Conclusion, severe chronic constipation

To get rid of any disease, we need to figure out the origin of the problem. The same is true for severe chronic constipation.

• Most always a change in lifestyle may be required.
  
  
• If medications are causing a constipation problem, ask your doctor if there is a similar med that doesn’t cause constipation.
  
  
• If the problem is caused by a disease, taking a magnesium supplement may help to minimize or eliminate constipation symptoms.

(Return from Severe Chronic Constipation to What is Constipation)