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MEDICINES¹

A variety of circumstances can cause constipation. Poor diet and lack of physical activity are the most common causes of constipation.⁵ Constipation can also be caused by certain medical conditions or the medications you are taking for your medical condition. ⁵

CAUSES OF CONSTIPATION

LIFESTYLE CAUSES²

The most common medicines that can slow down bowel movement include:³

If you suspect that your medication may be causing constipation speak to your healthcare professional.

Discover Lifestyle Tips To Promote Regular Bowel Movements

DISORDERS AND DISEASES³

Constipation-predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)¹

If you have a medical condition that you think may be causing you to be constipated, please speak to your healthcare provider.

Severe chronic or resistant constipation may be secondary to certain disorders and diseases, such as:

Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)

High blood calcium levels (hypercalcemia)

Parkinson’s Disease

People with diabetes often develop nerve damage. If this nerve damage affects the digestive tract, the intestines may slow down and result in constipation

ELDERLY PATIENTS¹

Elderly individuals may:

Use medicines that cause constipation

Eat a low fiber diet

Have medical conditions like diabetes or an underactive thyroid

Be less active

Elderly patients are more prone to rectum enlargement which results in more stools being stored which can become hard and impacted.

STRESS CAN PLAY A ROLE IN CONSTIPATION¹⁰

Our brain and gut are in constant communication with each other. Stress or emotions such as anxiety, depression or grief can disturb this brain-gut communication and trigger uncomfortable gastrointestinal problems.

Stress can:

Result in the release stress hormones that may directly or indirectly affect the bowel causing dysfunction

Affect the gut muscles by either slowing or speeding up the movement of food

When we are stressed, we may change our eating habits and gravitate towards comfort foods which are usually high in fat and sugar but low in fibre and fluids so they can bring on constipation or make it worse.

-If IBS is accompanied by constipation, it is called constipation pre-dominant irritable bowel syndrome
- IBS refers to a problem where the bowels don’t have enough force to propel the stool from the rectum or difficulty relaxing the muscles fibres around the rectum when a persons want to release a stool.
- The individual senses that they want to make a stool but can’t.

Other disorders and diseases that often cause constipation are:¹

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