# About constipation **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 6, 2005, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-constipation/288629 "2005-02-06T07:13:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Random\_Design](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58f4c7/32.png) [@Random\_Design](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random_Design)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2005, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-constipation/288629/1 "2005-02-06T07:13:51Z")
I’m kinda embarrassed (or maybe not) to admit that I don’t really know what constipation is. I mean, I know it’s when you can’t make bowel movements. can’t? Don’t? I don’t know. I don’t crap all that much, and it’s never bothered me and I’ve never felt uncomfortable as a result… so that isn’t constipation is it? I figure I eat enough food that there is little excess,and I’ve never seen the point of fibre (youre literally eating shit your body doesn’t or cant need? to shit? huh?) so I just don’t crap all tha tmuch out. I like to think I’m efficient 😃 but perhaps I’m ignorant. define constipation in your experience, and tell me if you think I have some sort of possible bowel predicament. please! ---
**Author:** ![quiltguy154](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ad7895/32.png) [@quiltguy154](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy154)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2005, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-constipation/288629/2 "2005-02-06T14:02:45Z")
Difficult, painful or forceful straining attempts at defecation may be a sign of constipation. I do believe though the proper medical term is **obstipation**. Constipation is total lack of bowel movements, IIRC. How often are your BM’s? Every second, third, eighteenth day? Any evidence of blood in your stool. If your elimination process is stress-free, you may be OK. Fibre helps push out the other undigested waste products. If there is not enough to signal a BM, you just have to wait for more food to come down the pike, so to speak. Drink enough water? Dry, hard stools may be an indication of long-term dehydration. A softer stool gets eliminated more readily. Can you provide a bit more info? ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2005, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-constipation/288629/3 "2005-02-06T15:39:51Z")
> [@quiltguy154](#): > > Can you provide a bit more info? Or not… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Princess\_Clara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ebca7d/32.png) [@Princess\_Clara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princess_Clara)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2005, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-constipation/288629/4 "2005-02-06T18:03:40Z")
What’s the longest you’ve ever gone without pooping? For me it was eight days straight and it felt horrible. My lower torso was constantly in pain, like a stomach ache until I finally bite the bullet and went to the doctor for some laxitives. He told me (though I already knew) it was from stress and lack of fluids. The poop that came out wasn’t bloody. Just green. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2005, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-constipation/288629/5 "2005-02-06T18:25:15Z")
Constipation: For 99% of the population, this means you need for fluids and fiber. Normal BMs range in frequency from 3 x a day to 3 x a week. One might go more or less often than that and have it still be normal for you. Problems arise when stools are difficult to pass, causing straining. Also if you feel like you still need to have a BM after having had one. Here’s a nice webside by the American Academy of Family Practice with good tips on this problem: [http://familydoctor.org/037.xml](http://familydoctor.org/037.xml) BTW, **fiber** is good for you! Fiber is nature’s way of exercising your colon, and keeping it in shape to help pass the next bowel movement. What use 6-pack abs if you’ve got a puny colon??? ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2005, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-constipation/288629/6 "2005-02-06T18:59:18Z")
Drinking lots of water helps, it really does. Also lots of raw vegetables. Haven’t had to go to the high-fibre cereals, yet. Upping my intake of raw vegetables keeps the trains running right on time. Also, for some reason, a nice big mug of hot, strong tea.