What is Constipation and how to handle it in a good way?

What is Constipation and how to handle it in a good way?

We will talk about an extremely common symptom which is called, "Constipation" It is quite a common problem 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 intestine 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 surrounding 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

How 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 fiberFruits are rich in fiber Similarly, if you eat vegetables, and especially raw vegetables They contain a lot 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. 

Third important thing

The third important thing is, in a single day, we should drink at least 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 a lot 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 feces 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.

Important factor of constipation

 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 a lot 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 meal 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, along with the constipation, then you should definitely consult a doctor.

When you should consult a doctor.

First case is

when constipation and diarrhea 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 f 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 along with 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.

 Although,

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

2. If along with constipation, you experience Diarrhea 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 light and contact your doctor.