Constipation Healthcare Provider in Orlando, FL

Orlando, Get Help for Your Constipation

Constipation is difficulty passing stool and infrequent bowel movements (three or fewer bowel movements per week).

Causes of Constipation

Stool that moves too slowly through the intestine dries out and becomes hard, making it difficult to expel. Slow-moving stool may result from:

Constipation Symptoms

A person suffering from constipation experiences two or more of these symptoms for a week:

Less than three bowel movements in the past week
Hard, lumpy stools
Straining to expel stools
The feeling of a blockage in the rectum
The feeling of inability to empty the rectum

Chronic constipation is the occurrence of these symptoms for more than three months.

How constipation is diagnosed

Physicians at Orlando Gastroenterology perform physical examinations and certain tests to determine the causes of constipation. Tests include sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, colorectal transit studies, anorectal function testing, and defecography testing.

How constipation is treated

Constipation can usually be treated by a person drinking more water, exercising, and eating a higher-fiber diet.

Chronic or severe constipation may require more aggressive measures. Physicians at Orlando Gastroenterology may prescribe a laxative medication or may do minor surgery.

For constipation that does not respond to treatment, anorectal manometry can show whether the pelvic floor muscles are coordinating properly.

When should you see a doctor about constipation?

Occasional constipation is common and usually settles with more fluid, more fibre and more movement. Book an appointment if it has lasted more than three weeks, if it is a new change from your usual pattern, or if it comes with any of the following:

Blood in the stool or black stools
Unexplained weight loss
Severe or persistent abdominal pain
Constipation alternating with diarrhea
A family history of colorectal cancer or inflammatory bowel disease

What causes chronic constipation?

Common contributors include a low-fibre diet, not drinking enough, inactivity, ignoring the urge to go, and many medications — opioid painkillers, some antidepressants, iron supplements and certain blood pressure drugs among them. Thyroid problems, diabetes and pelvic floor dysfunction can also be involved, which is why a persistent pattern is worth investigating rather than simply treating with laxatives.

Constipation and other conditions

Constipation features in several conditions we treat, including diverticular disease, irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease and fecal incontinence. Straining also contributes to hemorrhoids.

To discuss this with a gastroenterologist, call (407) 445-9224 or book at one of our four Orlando-area offices.