What Causes Constipation? 12 Surprising Reasons You’re Constipated

Being constipated means that your intestinal motions are severe or rare and occur as normal. It often happens when food in the tract takes too much water in the colony of the colon. This slower downs the movement of food through the digestive tract, as it takes more time in absorbing the water. Therefore, it results in dry and hard feces. It can be caused due to many reasons and one should avoid taking too many medicines for the release of it. Instead, natural remedies should be applied. In this article, we will look at the causes of constipation.

What causes constipation?

Constipation can occur for many reasons, and constipation can simultaneously have more than one cause. Among the most common causes of constipation:

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• The slow movement of stool through the colon;
• Delayed emptying of the colon Beck disease, especially in women;
• A form of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), IBS symptoms, and constipation, both having as IBS with constipation or IBS-C.

Constipation can be caused due to other following factors:

1. Prescription Medications

Medicines can never be free from side effects. It may have direct or indirect effects including constipation. Many drugs like anti-depressant, blood pressure etc. cause constipation. So, to avoid it alternative medicine can be tried. If you face severe constipation due to the usage of any of these medicines, don’t hesitate to inform your doctor regarding it. Don’t change any medication by yourself because doctor supervision is required for it.

2. Laxative

Laxatives can temporarily release constipation but in the longer term, it makes constipation worse.

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• The person may eventually require increasing amounts of laxatives to move the intestines.
• In some cases, the intestine becomes insensitive to laxatives and the person is unable to move the bowel, also with laxatives.

3. Chocolate

Chocolates may be the favorite of the majority of people but it also triggers constipation in certain conditions. Some people are constipated when they consume chocolates. But for the lovers, these cannot be completely avoided to be consumed. Therefore, have it in a certain amount so that you don’t get constipated. It may not be the good news for the people with sweet tooth. But if chocolates affect your body negatively, try to minimize your intake of them.

4. Undiagnosed Medical Conditions

The colon and rectum slow down and the movement of the stool is affected due to constipation and which ends up in anus diseases. Many health conditions can cause constipation. The most common cause, especially among young people, is hypothyroidism. Those who are constipated may also be affected by thyroid stimulation of the metabolism, so when it does not work properly, everything slows down including the bowel and colon movement. Constipation can be the symbol of other diseases including diabetes, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory hallucinations, celiac disease, autoimmune diseases, and certain types of cancer. The most important thing is to determine and treat is the cause. Constipation is so common that many people don’t take it seriously. In some cases, it may be very mild but on the other hand, it may indicate towards something serious. It is suggested to consult the doctor if the constipation is severe and lasted for more than three months as it may be due to other serious medical issues that need immediate treatment.

5. Some Special Hormones

Some women face the problem of constipation during pregnancy. This is caused due to the trigger of special pregnancy hormones. It causes multiple effects on the digestive system. In particular, constipation can be caused by the high level and the low level of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. In the case of pregnancy, constipation recovers automatically after nine months, but it should be treated during the pregnancy to prevent complications. Constipation may also be caused due to disturbance, increase, or decrease of other hormones. As human gets aged, of course, their hormone levels would either increase or decrease which may make the person feels shabby. In that case, the doctor should be consulted for the possible treatments and lifestyle changes, if required.

6. Painkillers

Painkillers may sound like a very effective and short-term solution to solve any problem regarding pain in the body. But this shortcut to pain relief may have many side effects on your body. It is suggested to avoid the painkillers as much as possible because of their side effects. The major side effect of too much intake of painkiller is kidney damage and kidney failure. A minor but non-ignorable effect of pain killers is constipation. It is strictly recommended not to use any kind of painkiller for more than 30 days even if anyone is severely injured or faces the painful after-effects of surgery.

7. Low-carb Diets

Weight loss is a dream of every over-weighted person. The effective and quick loss of weight can be achieved if you opt for intake of a low-carb diet. It may speedily reduce your weight but you may face the problem of constipation due to it. And low fats diet to avoid constipation. It is also suggested to divide the meal into small portions instead of consuming a large amount of food or instead of staying hungry for a longer period due to the intention of dieting and weight loss. People make a mistake while dieting and that is avoidance of healthy food because they want to lose weight. They skip meat, fruits, and vegetables because they think it’s high in carbs whereas they ignore the other rich components of it. Doctors recommend having vegetables with a high content of fiber and low in fats. As all carbs are not the same so include healthy carbs obtained from fruits and vegetables and avoid those carbs which are found in unhealthy food like sweets, junk food, etc.

8. Lack of Fiber or Too Much Fiber

It may sound shocking to you but too much or too less consumption of fiber is not good for health. If it’s taken too much in quantity, you are likely to suffer from constipation. Likewise, less intake also causes constipation. So, consider a balanced diet and take a moderate amount of fiber in your diet.

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9. A Dairy-heavy Diet

A diary-heavy diet may seem extremely tempting. People love to eat dairy, especially cheese lovers love the cheesy, melting taste of it and don’t count when they are consuming it. But the bad news for such lower is, that high consumption causes constipation. Cheese may be sometimes difficult to digest. It causes not only constipation but also a rapid increase in weight. Therefore, it should be eaten in a mild amount instead of having it regularly.

10. Not Drinking Enough Water (Dehydration)

Keeping your body hydrated is essential as water is the building block of your body. Less consumption of water can result in serious health issues. It is advised to consume at least 8 glasses of water a day. It keeps the mind and the body active for its functioning. Experts suggest that constipated persons drink more fluid so that their constipation is released. In the case of a regular intake of sufficient water, the person is less likely to be blocked and face the issue of constipation. Those who tend to suffer regularly from constipation should consider it a serious issue and focus on the consumption of water. Many sodas and caffeinated beverages cause dehydration and also aggravate constipation. If you are very prone to constipation, then you should such drinks and beverages should be avoided.

11. Depression

Depression is a phycological condition in which a person’s entire body slows down when it is prolonged. People who have depression may complain about many other issues as it affects the entire body. One of the effects of depression is constipation. Many people who are facing this problem complain of being constipated and slow metabolism. It is the fight between a person with his inner self and it is a feeling of the cold war, which affects many parts of the body and may also cause constipation, but there is no identified reason for it. Medicines that are used for the treatment of depression can also trigger constipation. So, the patients who are constipated due to the medicine of depression are suggested to go for the therapies and exercise to corneal their depression.

12. Certain Multivitamins

We may take certain vitamins for the health benefits but we may be unaware of the fact that high consumption of calcium and iron and other vitamins can cause severe constipation. Many vitamins speed up the digestion process but many of them can also slow down bowel movements. Many people are usually unaware of it. So, take your vitamins with the recommendation of the doctor and change them under the supervision of your doctor if that certain vitamin reacts or causes problems like constipation so that alternative can be suggested. In the end, it is recommended not to take your constipation non-serious as it can be the mother of other diseases and one should get it treated either by medication or by natural remedies soon as possible so that he may save himself from the further serious issues.