Συμπτώματα Δυσκοιλιότητας και Συμβουλές.

Constipation affects 20% of the general population of the country, while 33% experience constipation occasionally, during holidays and travelling.

It particularly affects women and in fact 2.5 times more than men.

59% of patients are embarrassed to talk about their problem and simply ask for a known sedative.
Constipation is characterized by infrequent bowel movements (less than 3 times a week) and stools that are dehydrated and hard.

It is a frequent problem, which often supports some digestive system condition, but also latent organic disorders (e.g. hypothyroidism).

Symptoms:

- Slow and laborious defecation with hard and dehydrated stools.

- Feeling of incomplete emptying.

- Feeling of bloating, pressure in the stomach, abdominal pain with or without flatulence, hemorrhoids, stomach cramps and bad mood.

We could divide the problem into:

A - Occasional Constipation:

It is often due to a sudden change in diet or daily habits (strict diet, travel), lack of exercise (lying down, immobility on long journeys), dehydration of the stool (in intense heat), psychological stress, but also pregnancy and generally lasts only a few days.

B - Chronic Constipation:

It is usually idiopathic (without a specific cause) and requires the adoption of a healthy diet.

Attention, if a worsening of the existing condition is observed, a visit to the doctor is necessary and a colonoscopy should be performed at the slightest suspicion.

C - Recent or Recently Worsening Constipation:

Constipation that continues for more than 15 days, without previous defecation disturbances, always requires the search for an organic etiology: digestive system disease (inflammatory bowel disease, colon cancer) or non-digestive disease (neurosis, metabolic disorder) , hypothyroidism, hypokalemia).

Also look for it as a medicinal side effect (iatrogenic constipation) from taking neuroleptics, antiparkinsonian, antidepressants, iron salts, codeine, morphine derivatives).

Alternating diarrhea/constipation suggests irritable bowel syndrome.