Do you go for days without a bowel movement? Is your bathroom becoming the most familiar room in your house? If you have constipation, you could spend hours just sitting in that room, often with little or no results.

If you have bowel movements less than three times per week, you are experiencing constipation. With constipation your stool is hard, you have to strain to defecate, or never quite feel that you have finished a bowel movement. Especially if constipation is followed by diarrhea, then you just might have Irritable Bowel Syndrome .

While it is important that you see your doctor if you think you have IBS, he or she can do a slew of tests which only show that you have fully functioning intestines and a perfectly healthy colon. It is a good idea to undergo these tests to rule out organic bowel diseases and bowel cancer. It is also difficult to differentiate the Irritable Bowel Syndrome constipation from chronic constipation. Symptoms of the two conditions can seem similar, causing difficulty with IBS diagnosis and treatment. But if the tests some back okay, and clearly something is not right, your doctor may tell you that you have an Irritable Bowel diagnosis .  

 

 

The causes of constipation in Irritable Bowel Syndrome are unclear. It is widely believed that there is a glitch in communication between the muscles of the large intestine, the colon and the brain, which causes Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms. Oversensitivity may cause ordinary events, such as the passage of food, to trigger bowel pain responses.

 

Food absorbs water as it moves through the colon, eventually becoming stool. As muscle contractions force the stool through the colon, the water is reabsorbed and the stool is more or less solid when it is passed through the rectum. When too much water is absorbed, or the process of moving waste through the colon is too slow, the result is hard and frequently impassable stool.

 

Because the colon is, in part, regulated by the autonomic nervous system, stress can contribute to constipation.

 

Treatment for IBS Constipation

 

The most effective way to treat IBS constipation is to make changes to your lifestyle. As you may have noticed, certain foods trigger symptoms while other foods alleviate them.

 

Monitoring your diet is one of the most effective ways to find IBS relief.

• If you suffer from constipation, a high-fiber diet just might ease your symptoms.
• Look for cereals and breads with bran or whole-grains.
• Drink at least 8 cups of water each day.
• Avoid caffeine, as it may cause diarrhea in people with sensitive colons.

 

Consult a dietician for a list of foods that are high in fiber, and for advice on selecting a fiber supplement, if your doctor recommends it. But be sure to add it into your diet carefully and slowly. Otherwise it may cause additional cramping and make gas worse.

 

Ease your autonomic nervous system by de-stressing. Meet with a psychologist or lifestyle coach to identify ways you can reduce the stressors in your life. Meditation, yoga, or self-hypnosis techniques can also help you accumulate coping skills that will help you navigate your way through life with less stress.

 

Antidepressant medications effect the serotonin in your brain and may be helpful in calming oversensitive bowels. Small doses of antidepressants can actually ease the symptoms of Irritable Bowel. And antianxiety medication can help reduce your response to stressors, thereby easing your IBS symptoms .

 

Constipation is an uncomfortable and painful condition that no one should have to live with. Fortunately, there is a lot you can do to alleviate it. Under the watchful eye of your doctor or dietitian, try over the counter remedies and/or prescription medications, but remember – only you truly know your body. Keep a record of your symptoms and how they are affected by treatment. That way, you can modify your routine and habits according to your specific needs.