Constipation occurs when stools are difficult to pass. Some
people are overly concerned with the frequency of their bowel
movements, because they have been taught that a healthy person
has a bowel movement every day. This is not true. Most people
pass stools anywhere from 3 times a day to 3 times a week. If
your stools are soft and pass easily, you are not constipated.
Constipation is present if you have 2 or fewer bowel movements
each week or you do not take laxatives and have 2 or more of the
following problems at least 25% of the time: Constipation may
occur with cramping and pain in the rectum caused by the strain
of trying to pass hard, dry stools. You may have some bloating
and nausea. You may also have small amounts of bright red blood
on the stool or on the toilet tissue, caused by bleeding
hemorrhoids or a slight tearing of the anus (anal fissure) as
the stool is pushed through the anus. This should stop when the
constipation is controlled. There are three types of
constipation: normal movement (tran