Constipation pain, often deep in the abdomen, may not be something you’re comfortable discussing, but it can make it difficult to concentrate on anything else.
This article outlines the nature of constipation pain and some of the more common causes of this digestive health concern. It also looks at constipation treatment so your pain and other symptoms can subside.
Experts define constipation in a few different ways. It can mean you have fewer than three bowel movements per week or difficulty passing stools. Hard, dry, or lumpy stools can be signs of constipation, too. You may also feel you haven’t passed all the stool in your bowel, which can lead to pain or discomfort.
Almost everyone experiences constipation, but it’s a temporary, harmless condition in many cases. However, between 9 and 20% of people in the United States experience chronic idiopathic constipation. It’s an ongoing health concern without an obvious cause or easy cure yet.
Constipation itself isn’t a disease but a symptom. It may be brought on by not drinking enough fluids, not eating enough fiber, or not getting enough physical activity.
Pregnancy is another common cause of constipation. For people with serious digestive disorders, such as inflammatory bowel disease, constipation may be just one of several painful and distressing symptoms.
The pain from constipation can be a sharp pain deep in your abdomen. People also describe constipation pain as a tightness or pressure in the abdomen.
Experiencing constipation also often means feeling full, even if you haven’t eaten for hours. The pain usually comes from gas trapped in your intestine, making you feel bloated, or from cramping due to a buildup of stool irritating your intestinal lining.
With constipation pain, there’s usually no comfortable position — standing, sitting, or lying down — that can provide much relief.
You may also experience constipation pain when straining to have a bowel movement. Large or hard stools can make going to the bathroom painful and unpleasant.
Severe pain doesn’t necessarily indicate a worse case of constipation. Likewise, you may have relatively mild pain or discomfort but have a serious case of constipation. However, any time you experience severe abdominal pain —whether it’s related to constipation or not — you can consider contacting a doctor for an evaluation.
Before contacting a doctor about your constipation pain, you can try a few steps at home. Sometimes, treating constipation means drinking more fluids and eating more foods rich in fiber to help improve your digestion. Regular physical activity, such as a brisk walk, can help with digestion, too.
If the above home remedies don’t work and you need more immediate pain relief, you can try an over-the-counter (OTC) laxative. Some examples might include:
- polyethylene glycol (Miralax)
- bisacodyl (Dulcolax)
- senna (Ex-Lax and Senokot)
Some laxatives work by stimulating the walls of the intestines to move stool through your system. Others help by drawing more fluid into the intestines from surrounding tissue to make passing stool easier.
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases suggests contacting a doctor if dietary changes or nonprescription laxatives don’t work or if any of the following symptoms develop:
- abdominal pain that doesn’t subside
- back pain
- blood in your stool or bleeding from your rectum
- fever
- difficulty passing gas
- nausea and vomiting
- unexplained weight loss
Constipation pain may be mild or severe and may stem from various causes. While many cases of constipation resolve on their own or with some changes in diet, fluid intake, and physical activity, others may require medication to provide relief.
After trying home remedies and OTC laxatives, you can contact your doctor for further evaluation and treatment if you still have constipation.