The Common Secret No One Talks About: Constipation

by Doug Pucci

Constipation is an extremely common health issue no one wants to discuss, yet it’s a gray area for many of the 63 million Americans that suffer with it, and that number is rising. Chronic constipation can cause pain and daily discomfort, and has more potential causes than most people think.

More than 6 million Americans visit hospital emergency rooms annually for constipation and more than 5 million prescriptions are written for it, so there’s no doubt this is a widespread problem. There is plenty of misinformation online about what’s considered normal or acceptable when it comes bowel movement frequency. Some sources say that whatever is customary is normal, so for someone used to going as infrequently as once a week for as long as they can remember, that’s okay, because it’s their personal “normal”. Conventional medicine even says that as few as three times a week is acceptable. None of this could be further from the truth.

Regular bowel movements—at least once daily—are a necessary function of good health; this is one important way the body cleanses itself of toxins and waste materials. Without regular daily elimination, toxins can be reabsorbed into the body and a host of health issues can arise.

As a solution to chronic constipation—defined as difficult, infrequent, pebble-like or painful bowel movements over a few months’ time—many people turn to prescription or over-the-counter medications and end up dependent on them for years. While this may produce the desired result in the moment, it is by no means a long-term solution, and it’s never a good idea to continually take medications of any kind.

What makes this an even more dangerous “solution” is that the real reason for the constipation is not being uncovered or addressed. Like pain elsewhere in the body, constipation is a symptom that something is wrong. It can be as simple as dietary and lifestyle choices or a more serious underlying health condition. Rather than medicating the symptom, functional medicine looks deeper into the causation behind everyone’s constipation problem and finds a way to correct the root cause.

Constipation lies on both sides of the health equation—it can be caused by other health issues and if left untreated, it can cause health problems.

Underlying health issues that can cause constipation

lack of physical activity
diet high in processed foods, unhealthy fats and/or sugar
low fiber/low greens diet
certain medications
not enough daily water intake
ignoring the urge to go
excessive caffeine or alcohol consumption
neurological disorders
medical conditions, including hypothyroidism, diverticulitis, diabetes and more

Conditions caused by chronic constipation

hemorrhoids
fissures
blockage caused by impacted (stuck) fecal matter
potential for colon cancer
possible cause of diverticulitis
urological disorders
bowel incontinence
rectal prolapse

New connections between causes and resulting conditions are continually being discovered; it’s even been reported that regular use of enemas or constipation medications can eventually become causes in and of themselves.

An occasional bout of constipation happens to everyone, especially during times of extreme stress, when traveling or if our diet changes for the worse for a period of time. This can cause temporary, or acute, constipation that goes away after things return to normal. However, people should see a doctor if they notice lasting changes in stool consistency or overall bowel habits. In addition, if someone experiences pain, feels as though they are not eliminating completely or has difficulty with bowel movements on a regular basis for several weeks, it’s time to get help.

Increasing fiber intake is not only important to avoid constipation, it’s also important for our overall health—and lettuce and tomato on a burger is not the same as having a large salad or a large side of steamed vegetables, because not all fiber is created equal.

Dr. Doug Pucci, DC, FAAIM, regularly offers promotions featuring the latest science and clinical data on neurotoxic illness and chronic disease. He provides nutrition, comprehensive testing for health biomarkers, toxicology, and brain/body well-being. For more information, call 201-261-5430 or visit GetWell-Now.com. See ad, page 3.