Table of Contents
- Overview
- Treatment
- Prevention
- Images
Call your doctor immediately if you have sudden constipation with
Also call your doctor if you have:
- Sharp or severe abdominal pain, especially if you also have bloating
Blood in your stool - Constipation alternating with diarrhea
- Thin, pencil-like stools
- Rectal pain
Unexplained weight loss - Been using laxatives for several weeks or self care is not working
Call your child's pediatrician immediately if:
- An infant (except those exclusively breastfed) goes 3 days without a stool and is vomiting or irritable
Also call your child's pediatrician if:
- An infant younger than 2 months is constipated
- Non-breastfeeding infants go 3 days without having a bowel movement (call immediately if there is vomiting or irritability)
- A child is holding back bowel movements in order to resist toilet training
What to expect at your health care provider's office
Your doctor will perform a physical examination, which may include a rectal exam, and ask questions such as:
- How long have you had constipation?
- How many days between two bowel movements?
- Is it worse when you are stressed?
- What is the color, shape, and consistency of the stools?
- Is there any bleeding with bowel movements?
- Do you have any
abdominal pain ? - What surgeries or injuries have you had?
- What medications do you take?
- Do you drink coffee or alcohol? Do you smoke?
- What other symptoms are also present?
The following tests may help diagnose the cause of constipation:
- Anorectal manometry (pressure measurements of the anus and rectum)
Barium enema - Complete blood count (CBC)
- Blood clotting tests (
PT orPTT ) - Colonoscopy
-
Proctosigmoidoscopy (an examination of the lower bowel) - Stool studies
Upper GI series X-rays of the abdomen
Previous Section
Review Date: 08/14/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of
General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington
School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical
Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
