Chronic Idiopathic Constipation

Chronic idiopathic constipation is a condition where a person has regular bowels but suffers from chronic constipation. The medical term “idiopathic” means that the cause of this ailment is still yet unknown. The condition may be caused by various reasons like problems with hormones, nerves and the digestive muscles of the anus, rectum or colon. It is a rare digestive disorder and sometimes referred to by medical practitioners as functional constipation.

This condition may happen to anyone but more frequently happens among women. The symptoms though are hard to treat because it does not respond to ordinary or traditional constipation treatment. Persons who suffer from this health condition experience less bowel movement. The stools are small in size and very troublesome to eliminate due to pain as they pass through the rectum and anus. Bowel movement activity may come once every 3 days.

Chronic idiopathic constipation causes discomfort in the abdominal area and bloating. Related health problems are hard to pinpoint because there is no known cause. There are two types of this illness, colonic inertia and delayed transit. Both are caused by decreased muscle activity either in the whole colon or just the lower portion.

Medical therapy requires the proper evaluation of the patient for treatment. The first step is the correction of wrong activities and dietary behaviors of the patient. The second widely accepted therapeutic step is adding barn to the diet. Though not yet proven, some patients show significant amounts of progress in their health when given these treatments. In order to avoid this health condition it is recommended to increase the fiber intake to 20-35 grams a day.

On average, people tend to take only 5-20 daily. Keeping a diet high in fiber is the best way to prevent chronic idiopathic constipation. Eating vegetables, fruits and whole grains is a good way in maintaining your fiber intake on a high level. Medical drugs like Zelnorm and Cisapride can improve conditions of a person previously diagnosed with this condition by regulating bowel movements. Chronic idiopathic constipation is still an unknown illness in the field of science and medicine but is not a life threatening disease.