National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Constipation is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Constipation means that a person has three or fewer bowel movements in a week. The stool can be hard and dry. Sometimes it is painful to pass. At one time or another, almost everyone gets constipated. In most cases, it lasts a short time and is not serious.
There are many things you can do to prevent constipation. They include
It's not important that you have a bowel movement every day. If your bowel habits change, however, check with your doctor.
NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)