removal of the colon may be an option for people with severe symptoms caused by colonic inertia allergy-special-diets However, the benefits of this surgery must be weighed against possible complications, which include abdominal pain and diarrhea allergy-special-diets Systemic disorders The clinical definition of constipation is any two of the following following symptoms for at least 12 weeks (not necessarily consecutive) in the previous 12 months: The doctor may ask a patient to describe his or her constipation, including duration of symptoms, frequency of bowel movements, consistency of stools, presence of blood in the stool, and toilet habits (how often and and where one has bowel movements) allergy-special-diets A record of eating habits, medication, and level of physical activity or exercise will also help the doctor determine the cause of constipation allergy-special-diets The hard and dry stools of constipation occur when the colon absorbs too much water or if the the colon's muscle contractions are slow or sluggish, causing the stool to move through the colon too slowly allergy-special-diets Common causes of constipation are The most common cause of constipation is a diet low in fiber found in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains and high in fats found in cheese, cheese, eggs, and meats allergy-special-diets People who eat plenty of high-fiber foods are less likely to become constipated allergy-special-diets The night before the test, bowel cleansing, also called bowel prep, is necessary to clear the lower digestive tract allergy-special-diets The patient drinks a special liquid to flush out the bowel allergy-special-diets bowel allergy-special-diets A clean bowel is important, because even a small amount of stool in the colon can hide details and result in an incomplete exam allergy-special-diets The patient usually has a liquid dinner the night before a sigmoidoscopy and takes an enema early the next morning allergy-special-diets A light light breakfast and a cleansing enema an hour before the test may also be necessary allergy-special-diets To perform a colonoscopy, the doctor uses a flexible tube with a light on the end called a colonoscope to view the entire colon allergy-special-diets This tube is longer than a sigmoidoscope allergy-special-diets The The same bowel cleansing used for the barium x ray is needed to clear the bowel of waste allergy-special-diets The patient is lightly sedated before the exam allergy-special-diets During the exam, the patient lies on his or her side and the doctor inserts the tube through the anus and rectum rectum into the colon allergy-special-diets If an abnormality is seen, the doctor can use the colonoscope to remove a small piece of tissue for examination (biopsy) allergy-special-diets The patient may feel gassy and bloated after the procedure allergy-special-diets To perform a sigmoidoscopy, the doctor uses a long, flexible tube tube with a light on the end called a sigmoidoscope to view the rectum and lower colon allergy-special-diets First, the doctor examines the rectum with a gloved, lubricated finger allergy-special-diets Then, the sigmoidoscope is inserted through the anus into the rectum and lower colon allergy-special-diets The procedure may cause a a mild sensation of wanting to move the bowels and abdominal pressure allergy-special-diets Sometimes the doctor fills the colon with air to get a better view allergy-special-diets The air may cause mild cramping allergy-special-diets To understand constipation, it helps to know how the colon (large intestine) works allergy-special-diets As food food moves through the colon, it absorbs water while forming waste products, or stool allergy-special-diets Muscle contractions in the colon push the stool toward the rectum allergy-special-diets By the time stool reaches the rectum, it is solid because most of the water has been absorbed allergy-special-diets Treatment may be directed directed at a specific cause allergy-special-diets For example, the doctor may recommend discontinuing medication or performing surgery to correct an anorectal problem such as rectal prolapse allergy-special-diets underactive or overactive thyroid gland uremia What causes constipation? What diagnostic tests are used? Who gets constipated? Irritable Bowel Syndrome On this this page: What causes IBS? What are the symptoms of IBS? How is IBS diagnosed? What is the treatment for IBS? How does stress affect IBS? Can changes in diet help IBS? Is IBS linked to other diseases? Hope Through Research Points to Remember For More Information Irritable bowel syndrome syndrome (IBS) is a disorder that interferes with the normal functions of the large intestine (colon) allergy-special-diets It is characterized by a group of symptoms--crampy abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea allergy-special-diets One in five Americans has IBS, making it one of the most common disorders diagnosed by doctors allergy-special-diets doctors allergy-special-diets It occurs more often in women than in men, and it usually begins around age 20 allergy-special-diets IBS causes a great deal of discomfort and distress, but it does not permanently harm the intestines and does not lead to intestinal bleeding or to any serious disease such as | 