How many days without bowel movement is considered constipation?

To put it simply, constipation means not having a bowel movement. Other people may have a bowel movement once a day, but patients with constipation will feel very happy if they can have a bowel movement every week, let alone every day. Especially some women, basically they are patients with constipation. So from a medical point of view, how many days without defecation is considered constipation in daily life? Is it three days or a week?

1. If you don’t have bowel movements every day, you are constipated?

Patients often complain of constipation, and say they can only have a bowel movement once every 2-3 days without medication, and feel uncomfortable if they don't take medication for a day. The patient was asked again and it was revealed that when not taking the medicine, he had yellow soft stool every 2-3 days without any dry fecal lumps. Is this really constipation?

Constipation refers to decreased frequency of bowel movements, hard and dry stools, and/or difficulty in defecation. It is worth noting that a decrease in the number of bowel movements means less than 3 bowel movements per week, not the need to have a bowel movement every day.

In outpatient clinics, we often see some patients who ask for medication to assist with bowel movements after not having a bowel movement for a day. This is incorrect and unnecessary.

In addition, psychological factors can affect the sensory, motor and secretory functions of the gastrointestinal tract, inhibit the parasympathetic nerves, blunt the defecation reflex, and induce or aggravate constipation. Therefore, paying too much attention to constipation and forcing bowel movements every day will actually aggravate constipation.

2. Constipation is a minor illness, so there is no need to go to the hospital?

Constipation is a common disease with a high incidence rate. According to statistics, the incidence rate of chronic constipation in people aged 60 and above is as high as 15-20%.

Not all patients with constipation need to see a doctor, but if you have recent warning signs, such as: blood in the stool or a positive fecal occult blood test, anemia, changes in appetite or weight, abdominal pain, abdominal mass, or changes in bowel habits, you need to go to the hospital to determine the cause of the constipation and rule out organic lesions.

3. Can eating more foods rich in fiber relieve constipation?

Dietary fiber can indeed relieve constipation, but excessive intake of dietary fiber will irritate the gastrointestinal tract, causing digestive discomfort such as bloating and abdominal pain.

In addition, dietary fiber promotes bowel movements mainly by increasing stool volume and retaining water. Therefore, if you only increase your fiber intake without increasing your water intake, constipation will not be relieved.

It is recommended that patients with constipation drink 1500ml-2000ml of water daily.