Constipation increases the risk for serious complications such as hemorrhoids, anal fissures, fecal incontinence, colonic conditions, etc. Therefore, constipation should be prevented. A simple preventive measure for constipation is to adopt correct sitting position during excretion. Ideal bathroom posture helps in defecation. People generally sit at 90 degree position (angle of hips to upper body) which disrupts the passage of intestine and puts extra position in the bowel during evacuation. This chokes the anal canal and causes constipation. While the ideal posture for defecation is the squatting position, with the thighs fixed upon the abdomen, which relaxes and straightens the rectum. The 35 degree hip angle (due to legs on stool) leads to easy and smooth defecation.

Constipation is a condition which occurs when stool or waste material is difficult to move out of the large intestine. Constipation results in painful and infrequent bowel movements. Common symptoms of constipation are indigestion, hard stools that are difficult to pass, feeling that bowels aren’t completely emptied, bloating of the abdomen, pain or pressure in the belly, etc. Physical inactivity, not drinking enough water, pregnancy, low fiber diet, etc cause constipation. Sometimes, the sitting posture also affects your bowel movements. For example, a 90-degree position, where hips bend with respect to upper body, disrupts the passage of intestines and seals the anal canal by putting an extra pressure on the bowel.

Common symptoms of constipation are abdominal bloating, cramps or pain, decreased appetite, inability to pass stool, etc. Constipation can be prevented by increasing the fiber intake, exercising regularly to help keep stool moving through the colon, drinking more water to avoid dehydrating, etc. Correcting sitting posture also helps in proper excretion. The ideal position helps to pass the stool easily by not constricting the rectum. A 35-degree squat position (with legs on stool) is best recommended. When the knees and abdomen come closer, the positioning of the organs and muscles relaxes the rectum which enhances the efficiency to evacuate. 

Some herbs you can try at home for constipation relief. Cascara sagrada (buckthorn) is a popular herbal laxative that comes from the bark extract of a species of buckthorn tree and is very helpful in constipation. Drink mint & green tea. Eat prunes and bran cereal. Take Senna, a herbal laxative.

If you have chronic constipation, returning to a high-fiber diet, water, and regular exercise can help restore bowel function. It's recommended that you drink at least eight glasses of liquid (preferably water) each day. You should drink more on hot days and particualrly when you are exercising or doing heavy physical work. A severe form of constipation is not only very uncomfortable, but it can also lead to blockage of your colon.

Constipation is something that everyone of us has been through once in a while. It refers to bowel movements that are infrequent or hard to pass. It occurs when the body absorbs more water or signals food to move more slowly through the bowels. As many as one in five people gets chronic constipation. Chronic constipation is even more common in women as they get older. Constipation in infants and children occurs when they pass hard stools or have problems passing stools.

Capsule endoscopy is a procedure that uses a tiny wireless camera to take pictures of your digestive tract. This helps in diagnpsis of GI problems such as esophageal cancer.