Constipation
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Reviewed By:

Aiko Yoshioka

Aiko Yoshioka, MD (Gastroenterology)

Dr. Yoshioka graduated from the Niigata University School of Medicine. He worked as a gastroenterologist at Saiseikai Niigata Hospital and Niigata University Medical & Dental Hospital before serving as the Deputy Chief of Gastroenterology at Tsubame Rosai Hospital and Nagaoka Red Cross Hospital. Dr. Yoshioka joined Saitama Saiseikai Kawaguchi General Hospital as Chief of Gastroenterology in April 2018.

Unnati Patel

Unnati Patel, MD, MSc (Primary Care Physician)

Dr Patel graduated from the Zhejiang University School of Medicine. She worked in clinical research at the University of Illinois in Chicago and University of Nevada in Las Vegas focused on culturally adapted health interventions for preventive medicine in the community setting. Received her Master's of Science in Global Health (concentration in Health Policy) from Georgetown University, during which she worked with the WHO in Sierra Leone and Save the Children in Washington, D.C. Unnati went on to complete her family medicine residency in Chicago, Illinois at Norwegian American Hospital. | | She is currently working as a primary care physician in the city of Chicago and completing her Master's of Business Administration at the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management and Fellowship in Leadership in Value-Based Care.

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People with these symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes

  • Slow bowel movements

  • Find it hard to poop

  • I want to poop but don't come out

  • Hard and dry stool

  • Recent stool was hard and tiny

  • Feel like I still have to poop

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Content updated on Jan 4, 2023

About the symptom

Constipation is defined as having less than three bowel movements per week, hard, dry, or lumpy stools, stools that are difficult or unpleasant to pass, or a feeling that not all stool has passed.

When to see a doctor

Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms

  • Family history of colorectal cancer

  • Edema

  • Abdominal pain

  • Decrease in stool caliber

Possible causes

  • Constipation

    Difficulty passing stool. Constipation can also refer to a decrease in stool quantity (e.g. passing stool every day but only small amounts). It can be caused by various factors, including dietary habits, mobility, illnesses, and medications.

  • Aerophagia

    Excessive and repetitive air swallowing, resulting in burping and flatulence symptoms. It can be caused by psychological reasons, habits, or using machines that assist in breathing (CPAP machines).

  • Hypothyroidism

    A disorder where thyroid hormone levels in the body are abnormally low. These hormones are necessary for growth, development, and metabolism.

  • Meckel's diverticulosis
  • Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Hemorrhoid
  • Anorexia nervosa / bulimia nervosa
  • Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
  • Ovarian cyst

Questions your doctor may ask about this symptom

Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom

  • Do you have hard stools or constipation recently?

  • Do you often have the urge to pass motion but are unable to do so?

  • Are your stools hard and shaped like pellets? (like that of a rabbit)

  • Do you have a fever?

  • Is there blood in your stool?

Other Related Symptoms

Similar symptoms or complaints

References

  • Constipation

    https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/constipation/

Reviewed By:

Aiko Yoshioka

Aiko Yoshioka, MD (Gastroenterology)

Dr. Yoshioka graduated from the Niigata University School of Medicine. He worked as a gastroenterologist at Saiseikai Niigata Hospital and Niigata University Medical & Dental Hospital before serving as the Deputy Chief of Gastroenterology at Tsubame Rosai Hospital and Nagaoka Red Cross Hospital. Dr. Yoshioka joined Saitama Saiseikai Kawaguchi General Hospital as Chief of Gastroenterology in April 2018.

Unnati Patel

Unnati Patel, MD, MSc (Primary Care Physician)

Dr Patel graduated from the Zhejiang University School of Medicine. She worked in clinical research at the University of Illinois in Chicago and University of Nevada in Las Vegas focused on culturally adapted health interventions for preventive medicine in the community setting. Received her Master's of Science in Global Health (concentration in Health Policy) from Georgetown University, during which she worked with the WHO in Sierra Leone and Save the Children in Washington, D.C. Unnati went on to complete her family medicine residency in Chicago, Illinois at Norwegian American Hospital. | | She is currently working as a primary care physician in the city of Chicago and completing her Master's of Business Administration at the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management and Fellowship in Leadership in Value-Based Care.

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