Normally food is mixed with water but nearly 90% of this is absorbed. When stool enters the Colon, water is absorbed faster. Stool passes through the ascending Colon pass through the transverse Colon and become hard as it continues to descending Colon into the sigmoid Colon.
The stool is propelled along the Colon by peristaltic movements, in the Colon a unique type of peristalsis called mass movements slow one but powerful 3-4 times a day in the Colon, think about these movements as join weights forcing themselves in a Colon (stool)
Hastroul contractions push the large dehydrated stool into the rectum.sometimes this can be so slow . This is called Slow transit constipation. This means the slower,the more water is
absorbed and more the stool is drier. Symptoms are, puberty or at any age, weeks of no bowel motion.
In the rectum, the stool feels it, the walls stretch and pressure increases. However the anal sphincter controls. Internal- listens to the brain External- voluntary control.
Chronic constipation can lead to Dyssynergic constipation [in coordinated bowel movements]
Functional Constipation . Bowels can’t function healthy because of the poor connection between the brain and gut.
Risk factors include , Diet, stress and physical inactivity.
Decrease in water content by 20% increase the thickness of stool. This will increase the risk of pushing it.
Dietary fiber can soften hard stool by holding on water. This also increases the Colon transit time; the time needed to pass through the Colon and out as a waste.
Constipation is higher in elderly due to lack.of fiber diet, physical inactivity, medications, dehydration. Options increase constipation and its risks.
Secondary causes
- Neurological conditions like parkinsonism
- low Thyroid levels,
- high calcium levels,
- Pregnancy and before menstrual period ( due to hormone progesterone)
Constipation is more common in Women compared to men.
