# TMI: Can you hurt yourself by straining too hard? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 7, 2005, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-can-you-hurt-yourself-by-straining-too-hard/298303 "2005-04-07T23:44:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-can-you-hurt-yourself-by-straining-too-hard/298303/1 "2005-04-07T23:44:49Z")
During…ahem…defecating, of course. I am embarrassed as hell to be asking this question but I’ve always wondered. You hear quotes in movies. I’m not reprinting the quotes here, someone else can do that, but they refer to either veins being broken or a certain other portion of the anatomy. So, can you hurt yourself, if you’re constipated and trying really hard? Barring serious medical complications, this is just an ordinary day, and Mr. Man is having a hard time. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-can-you-hurt-yourself-by-straining-too-hard/298303/2 "2005-04-07T23:46:25Z")
Dear Og. Not \*my \* Mr. Man. Just any Mr. Man. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2005, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-can-you-hurt-yourself-by-straining-too-hard/298303/3 "2005-04-08T00:02:52Z")
Previous, less delicately titled, thread on this subject: [Has anyone ever died pushing out a turd?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=245128) The short answer to both his question and yours is “Yes.” ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2005, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-can-you-hurt-yourself-by-straining-too-hard/298303/4 "2005-04-08T00:26:05Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > Previous, less delicately titled, thread on this subject: > > [Has anyone ever died pushing out a turd?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=245128) > > The short answer to both his question and yours is “Yes.” I don’t care if other people are less delicate, just me! And thank you for that link - disgusting but informative. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2005, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-can-you-hurt-yourself-by-straining-too-hard/298303/5 "2005-04-08T01:46:56Z")
Yes. Overstraining can lead to hemmorhoids, anal fissures and proctalgia (try calling the next “pain in the ass” person you see that!). ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2005, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-can-you-hurt-yourself-by-straining-too-hard/298303/6 "2005-04-08T01:55:59Z")
Think of Elvis. Or maybe not ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2005, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-can-you-hurt-yourself-by-straining-too-hard/298303/7 "2005-04-08T03:04:44Z")
I had an uncle who got a hernia that way, or so the story went.