Constipation is not a disease but a symptom. Most people growing up with constipation doesn't even realize it to be abnormal until the discomfort starts to interfere with how they are feeling over all. In fact, some think that their bowel habits are quite normal when they have only one bowel movement a week.
Constipation can be defined as difficulty to pass stool, even if one is having a bowel movement everyday, having less than 3 bowel movements per week or having a sensation of incomplete bowel evacuation. Constipation can be caused by many diseases (hypothyroid) and medications (anti-depressant drugs, opiates).
In my practice, I tell my clients that they should have a least one bowel movement a day, with formed solid stools that are not difficult to pass. Below are some cases I have seen in my practice. If any of the cases sounds like what you, a family member or a friend is experiencing then you should seek medical help with a licensed Naturopathic Doctor.
Case 1:
Middle aged lady with previous diagnosis of Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Currently medicated with replacement thyroid hormone and blood levels indicated all thyroid hormones to be within normal limits. Patient's constipation described as having one bowel movement per week, stools were pellet-like brown with some mucous.
Treatments used prior to constipation treatments at Journey To Cure included colonics (gave relief from constipation while treatments were carried out but constipation would return once colonics were stopped), fiber supplements and changing her diet to include fiber rich foods.
Treatments: The patient was given 4 bags of a herbal formula that was designed specific to her symptoms (these not only include her constipation but also other symptoms that she reported. Since the human body is a whole, all symptoms are taken into consideration to formulate the herbal decoction). Dietary changes that were recommended included increase fibrous foods (which patient had already started), decrease foods that are considered goitrogenic ( eg. turnips, cabbage, cauliflower etc. because of history of hypothyroidism), and no raw uncooked foods. The herbal formula helped to provide the body with the energy to move the stools in the intestinal tract and soften the stools. Dietary changes provided long term care for the digestive tract.
Results: One year follow up, client reports bowel movements are still normal.
Case 2
Constipation for the last 20 plus years. Stools are hard but not dry and only able to have a bowel movement if more than 2 litres of water is consumed otherwise constipation would set in. Other symptoms reported included hyperhydrosis (excessive sweating), nightly leg cramps, shortness of breath and fatigue.
Treatment: 3 acupuncture treatments and 13 bags of herbal decoctions were prescribed, the formula was altered once after the first 3 bags of herbs were consumed as the client already reported having daily bowel movements. The last 10 bags of herbs were to support the body's own ability to defecate and to increase the client's overall energy. The other symptoms reported gradually improved. Patient reported after the first acupuncture treatment, there was a very large amount of stool evacuated and felt "cleaned" out.
Result: Patient continue to have bowel movements after 3 months after treatments.
Case 3
Patient was experiencing abdominal pain which included bloating and gas and had bowel movements two times a week. Blood tests came back within normal limits. The client requested to recieve only acupuncture treatments and declined to use any herbal treatments.
Treatment: After 2 treatments of acupuncture, client reported that she was no longer feeling constipated ie. having one bowel movement a day. Treatments are still ongoing as there is still a sensation of incomplete evacution reported by the client. Dietary recommendations included increasing fibrous rich foods and decreasing spicy foods.
Constipation should be a concern for any one that experiences it. We need to be removing waste from our body on a daily basis. If we are not removing waste, similar to a drainage system where waste gets washed down our pipes and into some sanitation plant, it can get backed up. The backing up of waste can cause a number of problems. Some common symptoms that people may experience is gas (usually odorous), cramping pains, bloating, sluggishness and fatigue, irritability etc. As mentioned above constipation can be indicative of other diseases or indirectly be related to a disease. Here is an example of what I mean by constipation being indirectly related to a disease. If diet is a factor in constipation then it means that there is usually a lack of fiber in the diet. This also means that if there is a lack of fiber we maybe have issues of high cholesterol, hormonal imbalances ( cysts, PMS, fibrous breast, weight gain) or even immune related diseases.
