5 Signs You May Have Constipation

Some days you have regular bowel movements. Other days things aren't quite as easy in coming. But, does that mean you are constipated and need constipation relief, or are you just having an off day? Here's a look at 5 symptoms that may cue you in to the fact that you are having constipation.

Frequency of Bowel Movements

Most people have at least one bowel movement a day. This is considered a healthy bowel schedule. Some people are every other day. This is still acceptable by medical standards. But as soon as you move into a category of three or fewer bowel movements a week, you are considered to be constipated and should start looking for constipation relief.

Discomfort

If you go to the bathroom and feel a lot of discomfort or cramping, but not much is coming out, you may be feeling another popular symptom of constipation. While your body may know it wants to be able to remove waste from the system, it may be having a tough time getting a hard stool out. The muscles contracting against the hardened stool, and being unable to do their job can lead to pain and cramping.

Bloating

While women complain of feeling bloated during their menstrual cycles, if you have constipation, you may feel this way all month long. The reason for this is that your body is holding plenty of extra waste inside. This is mass that is building up in your body, and can make you feel as if you are carrying a few extra pounds around. Frankly, you may well be.

Fatigue

It's a fact – constipation makes your tired. The reason for this is two-fold.

First, your body is working desperately to try and do it's job, clearing waste out, but cannot accomplish the task at hand, so it keeps putting resources into the area, trying to get the job done.

At the same time, the waste that has been building up in your body is now breaking down and rotting. That waste is giving off toxins and gasses that are damaging to your body. As they make their way into your bloodstream, the toxins are spread throughout your body, making your body fight another invader.

All these resources being used to deal with what is happening inside your body will make your body tired before you even get a chance to try and do anything on the outside.

Hemorrhoids

When you have constipation and try to have a bowel movement, you may notice that it's not an easy proposition. You may have to really strain and push to get the bowel movement to clear your system. All this pushing and straining can do damage to your anus and leaving you looking for some sort of constipation relief that will stop the pain.

In addition to the stress of the bowel movement causing hemorrhoids, all that time you spend sitting on the toilet waiting for a bowel movement is not helping things. The angle at which we sit on a toilet causes there to be a great amount of pressure on the anus area, which can aggravate an already sensitive portion of the body and lead to more hemorrhoids.