Constipation

What is constipation?

Constipation occurs when you have difficulty emptying your bowels. Constipation can be both acute and chronic.

You are likely be constipated if you are experiencing any of the following:

• Your bowels open less than three times a week.
• Pain, discomfort and straining on passing a motion.
• Stools are hard and dry, may be large or small in size.
• There may be a bad taste in the mouth, bad breath, abdominal bloating, decreased appetite, lethargy and, for some, the inability to function normally.