Constipation and how to handle it?

 It is quite a common problem

we will talk about an extremely common symptom

which is called, "Constipation"

It is quite a common porblem

It can either be a trivial matter,

or it can be something extreme.

Therefore, for common people; those who are not doctors

they should have basic knowledge about it

So first and foremost, what is meant by Constipation?

I am a doctor; when patients visit me and I inquire about the problem

they often say, "Constipation"

I ask them, "How many times you poop in a day?"

They say, "I do it six times."

So people don't always have a clear idea about what constipation is

Some people think if their stool is watery and frequent, then it is constipation

Some think that if they struggle to pass the stool, then it is constipation

some think if the stool is hard, it is constipation

In order to understand constipation, I'd like to tell you that

the food we ingest through our mouth

it goes down our Esophagus to the stomach, and from stomach, to the small intestine

and small intestine has three sections,

where it breaks down

The process of digestion takes place there

And after that, water and other vital substances get absorbed from it

such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, etcetera.

and then it moves from small intenstine to large intestine.

It moves relatively quickly in small intestine,

but it slows down in large intestine.

Normally, in the large intestine,

water and minerals are absorbed into the body

and as the food progresses forward in the large intestine

it is gradually dried up,

concentration of water decreases,

and it changes from liquid to a solid and semi-solid state

And when it moves from the last part of large intestine, called sigmoid colon,

to rectum, which is the storage place of stool,

the system of nerves surrounding it communicates to the brain

that the stool is present and is ready to be pushed out

as a result of which, a desire is created in the brain

and the person feels the need to pass the stool

and he then goes to an appropriate place,

relaxes the muscles surounding the stool, in the last part of intestine

and then the muscle between our lungs and belly contracts

which causes the belly to retract inwards, and diaphragm pushes downwards

and the sphincter muscles are opened, causing the stool to be excreted.

so this is the normal bowel movement.

And normally, at least once a day,

people go to toilet to relieve themselves of this natural need.

Sometimes, people do it twice a day as well. That is normal too.

But if a person goes to toilet even less than three times a week

then we can say that the person has constipation

Or, when he poops,

his stool is so hard that he struggles to pass it down

and if his single visit to toilet lasts longer than 10 minutes,

then this also means that this patient has constipation.

If we say that the reason for majority of people to suffer from constipation

is not a disease

but because of poor diet, habits of defecation and general lifestyle,

then we wouldn't be wrong.

Therefore, let me first inform you

what can be done to prevent constipation without taking any medicine

First thing is:

There should be an order in our eating habits

People who don't eat properly for days

And when they do eat, it is without any restraint

usually face problems with their digestion system

Secondly:

If our meal lacks fiber content

Fiber is the thing which is part of our nutrition

but does not provide energy,

rather it provides Chilka (scale).

For example, if you take unrefined flour, it contains a lot of fiber

Fruits are rich in fiber

Similarly, if you eat vegetables, and especially raw vegetables

They contain alot of fiber

And so does Saag

If our meal is deficient in Fiber,

then we would definitely face the problem of constipation.

Meaning, those people who eat nothing but meat

who eat nothing but junk food

and those who eat whatever comes their way

and don't take a balanced diet with care,

suffer from constipation.

The third important thing is, in a single day,

we should drink atleast 6 to 7 glasses of water

Especially in our area which has a hot climate

Here, winters are brief

and in summers, water evaporates from our bodies alot

and so we need that much more water

And in winters, we often forget drinking water

I want to emphasize on this,

that it is important to drink at least 7 to 8 glasses of water every day

and for that, do not wait to feel thirsty;

keep drinking water.

And when we don't drink enough water, our food dries up inside

and when it dries up, it turns into hard stool,

and that causes constipation.

And apart from these, another major reason for constipation is

when we keep postponing our urge to go to the toilet.

For instance, you are on a duty and so you keep delaying

Because Allah s.w.t has given us control over it.

If he wants, he can constrain his faeces even if it is present in his rectum

with his will power.

He can squeez his muscles and control it.

And if someone is habitual of delaying the call of nature,

then water from his stool keeps absorbing into the body

which makes it hard. And when it becomes hard,

it requires more effort to be released.

And when you exert force, it is painful;

and the person then further postpones the defecation.

And this is how it becomes a vicious cycle.

So this is also a major reason which may cause constipation.

Another important factor of constipation,

which has an indirect relation with it,

according to some literature, which says, People who don't do physical exercise

face constipation problems more frequently, it has been observed.,

relative to those who do physical exercise.

Such as couch potatoes, or those who sit in their shops all day long

or sit in front of their computer screen all day long

have been observed to face constipation the most

Other than this, the sitting position during defecating matters alot

and there is a correct way of it

And I found it quite fascinating when I read it

that in the example of the Prophet s.a.w

there is a proper way to sit

which is the squatting position.

And those who have knee issues and use commode,

they should tilt a little forward

and place their weight more towards the left side

Sit bending forward a bit

and in squatting position.

By doing this, the left side of the rectum will experience pressure

and that will cause the stool to be excreted with relatively more ease

The Prophetic way I read was

to sit inclined a little towards left, while placing the hand like this

And similarly, in the western studies, they mentioned this inclination to left side

Because the anatomy of the passage of stool is such that

tilting forward and leftward facilitates passing of stool

See, all that I have told you till now is for those who are free of any disease

and their constipation is only due to their daily habits

I'll just summarize these for you, and then I'll progress to next crucial thing

Drink plenty of water

Appoint proper times for your meals

Make sure your food is rich in fiber

and the content of red meat should be less

More the fiber content; such as vegetables, salad, fruits,

more the waste will be produced in sufficient amount

Other than this, do some light exercise

according to your age and bodily need.

And never postpone the call of nature

And lastly, I told you briefly about the ideal posture

This was one segment of our discussion

The next segment is, if despite doing all this

the problem of constipation is not resolved

then it may be a sign of a serious underlying disease

I'd like to clarify here

you not should fall into a delusion

Although, you should take it with seriousness if

you constantly suffer from constipation, known as Chronic Constipation

Or your toilet habit has recently changed

Meaning, you didn't experience it before, but now suddenly, you are...

Then please get in touch with a doctor.

Because it can be a symptom of any serious intestinal disease;

or it can also be a symptom of a non-serious disease (unlike cancer)

And especially, if you experience the symptoms which I'm about to share,

alongwith the constipation,

then you should definitely consult a doctor.

First case is, when constipation and diarrhoea are experienced alternatively

Meaning, one week you are constipated and the next week, you get loose stools

Then you get constipation, followed by loose stools

If this is the case,

then fiber regulation won't help, you'll have to contact a doctor

Second symptom is, if there is blood exiting from the passage of stool

whether it is fresh blood, or is blended with the stool

then you must contact a doctor.

Third: You are finished with defecation but your need still remains.

Meaning, you are not satisfied.

In other words, you didn't completely get rid of the excreta.

So in this case too, you should immediately talk to a doctor.

Fourth thing: If Pus is released alongwith the stool,

or peep,

then again, you should consult a doctor.

Mere simple hacks or dietary changes will not solve this problem.

And similarly, if you experience pain while pooping.

And during it, something comes out

for example a mole or a piece of flesh...

when you exert effort

in this situation too,

it is quite possible that constipation is a symptom of another disease

And you should not delay it any further

And the last thing is, if for any reason whatsoever,

you are losing weight,

and you are suffering from constipation at the same time

then this is also a sympton for which you'll need to contact a doctor.

The talk has become lengthy, I'll just summarize it for you

Most of people who complain about constipation do not have any serious illness

and just by changing their habits,

*forgive me*

They can resolve this problem

Although, 1. If the problem has been persistent for a long time

2. If alongwith constipation, you experience Diarrhoea alternatively

3. If there is blood in the stool, or pus

4. If the urge to defecate remain after you are done

5. And if something protrudes out when you force the stool out

or a piece of flesh, or a mole..

Or your weight is rapidly decreasing.

In these situations, do not take constipation lightly

and contact your doctor.