December is constipation awareness month. Constipation is a common symptom. It affects virtually everyone at some point in their life. Occasional constipation may result from changes in diet or from inactivity and will generally respond to simple lifestyle measures. However, constipation that is chronic (constant or long-lasting) or recurrent may indicate the need to see a doctor for evaluation and treatment.
Even though constipation is common, it is one of the most difficult gut symptoms to define. Patients, physicians, and physiologists (who study how the body works) have different views of the condition, due to the variable features of constipation.
