Water and constipation

Constipation is a gastro-intestinal symptom that occurs when bowel movements are made less often, and stool is harder, making it difficult to pass. Most people at some point in their lives will experience constipation. In most cases, constipation is only temporary and not serious. Understanding its causes, prevention, and treatment will help most people find relief.

There are two types of constipation, one being more severe than the other. Slow transit constipation is the most common form. Lack of fiber and inadequate water in the diet are common causes of slow transit constipation. One of the major symptoms of this type is dehydration. The other method, outlet delay, has to do more with loss of function in the pelvic area, and occur morex in senior citizens.

How do we get constipated? Well, food flows through the small intestine as a liquid mixture of digestive juices and the food you eat. By the time it reaches the large intestine, all the nutrients have been absorbed. The large intestine has one main function: to absorb water from the waste liquid, and turn it into a waste solid, known as the stool. The hard and dry stools of constipation occur when the colon absorbs too much water, or if the colon's muscle contractions are too slow or sluggish, which results in the stool moving through the colon at too slow a pace. These hard, dry stools are difficult to pass, as they cause strain. The reason they are difficult to pass is that the hard, dry stool actually sticks to the dry wall of the colon and requires that the colon develop high-pressure waves to be moved. Since the body needs help to remove the stool, strain is then placed on the abdominal muscles to contribute the necessary force to push out the stool. This straining can have negative effects to the body, such as the development of hernias, varicose veins, hiatus hernia (upward pressure forcing the stomach into the chest), diverticulitis and diverticulosis (weakening and infection of the colon wall), hemorrhoids, anal fissures and fistulae. Colorectal cancers may also be more common in patients with lifelong habit constipation. Doesn't sound pretty does it?

There are ways to prevent this. Liquids, like water and juice, add fluid to the colon and bulk to stools, making bowel movements softer and easier to pass. Because the colon needs water to do its job, dehydration can be a major cause of constipation.

Since many constipation sufferers are dehydrated, a major way of preventing this uncomfortable disorder is to drink an extra two to four glasses of water per day. That is on top of the recommended 8-10. Along with that, alcoholic and caffienated beverages should be avoided. However, water may not be able to do it totally alone. Fluids will not promote normal bowel function on their own, as the small intestine can also absorb of this fluid. It is best to combine a high fluid intake with a high dietary fiber, otherwise, people will just urinate more.

Constipation could also be caused by other disorders, which also stem from dehydration, such as uremia, a kidney disorder. Chronic constipation can also lead to more severe gastro-intestinal disorders if left untreated, such as colorectal cancer, as noted above.

Stay hydrated, and the food you eat will move through your systems much more smooth, resulting in comfortable bathroom breaks.