Constipation is characterized by infrequent stools and/or difficulty in passing stools. Usually, a person suffering from constipation has hard stools that are very difficult to pass. Constipation may also cause a lot of pain during the process of excretion. It may involve a lot of pressure and straining which can cause severe exertion and difficulty for the person. Constipation also causes a feeling of incomplete passage of stools. A person may not pass stools for even up to three days.
Constipation sometimes alternates with loose motions in the case of irritable bowel syndrome. On the other extreme, constipation causes hardening of stools at the end of the rectum, which blocks the passage of further stools. It is important to find out the cause of constipation in a person. Constipation is medically defined as anything less than passing three stools per week.
It is important to be able to differentiate acute constipation from chronic constipation. Acute constipation implies a sudden onset of constipation, while chronic constipation means long term constipation. It is acute constipation that may be a cause for worry as the cause for it might be something as serious as a tumor in the colon. Constipation must be given immediate attention if accompanied by bloody stools, bleeding rectum, abdominal pain, and nausea or vomiting.
One way of assessing the cause and treatment of constipation is by doing abdominal x rays. Abdominal x rays are filmed images of the abdomen. This test is done at the radiology department of a hospital or health care centre. For this test, you have to lie down flat on your back and hold your breath while the camera is focused on your stomach. You may be asked to take another image in a sideways position too. You will also be asked to remove all your jewelry before doing the x ray.
Please inform the practitioner if you are pregnant, on any medication, or have undergone any other medical test in the last four days. Make it a point to also inform your doctor if you are on any medications, as there are certain medications that can affect the test results.
The patient experiences no discomfort during the procedure. The accumulated stool can be easily viewed on the x ray film of the abdomen. The severity of the constipation can be assessed by the amount of stool that is seen in the abdomen. This helps the doctor to devise an appropriate method of treating the constipation. Abdominal x rays can also help identify any other physical causes present in the abdomen that can lead to constipation, such as growths and tumors.