• Illnesses linked to constipation

• Medicines and constipation

• Investigations

Constipation is a common medical condition. In many cases the cause may be due to life style - not enough fibre, lack of fluids and too little exercise. In other cases there is no identifiable cause. However, in some cases it may be linked to a particular illness or may be caused by certain medications.

Illnesses linked to constipation

Some illnesses linked to constipation:

• Irritable bowel syndrome

• Under-active thyroid gland

• Bowel cancer

• Kidney failure

• Spinal injury

• Multiple sclerosis

• Too much calcium in the blood

Medicines and constipation

Certain medicines may cause constipation. These include:

• Painkillers with codeine

• Painkillers with morphine

• Antidepressants

• Certain antacids

• Iron supplements

• Some drugs used to treat Parkinson.s disease

Constipation should not be ignored. Any change in bowel habit or long-lasting constipation should be investigated. However, it is possible that no identifiable cause will be found.

Investigations

Where there is blood or mucous association with constipation, or it alternates with diarrhoea, your doctor may want to undertake certain investigations to rule out more serious problems. Some may need to be done in a hospital clinic. These include:

• A rectal examination

• A stool sample to test for blood

• Blood tests to check for dehydration or anaemia and other medical problems

• A barium enema to assess whether there may be bowel problems

• A sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy investigation

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