Understand Constipation: Causes | Symptoms | Types | TCM Treatments
For many women, constipation is an unspeakable pain. "Eating, drinking, excreting, and sleeping" are the foundations of life, and when there is a barrier to excretion, it can be the start of internal chaos. Modern people, due to refined diets, irregular lifestyles, and stressful, busy schedules, are increasingly experiencing constipation, so it should not be taken lightly.
Constipation refers to difficulty in passing stools or a reduction in the frequency of bowel movements. Typically, having fewer than three bowel movements a week or experiencing difficulty during bowel movements is considered constipation. Chronic constipation, which persists over a long period, may require identifying and treating underlying conditions or diseases that cause or exacerbate constipation. Common causes of constipation include a lack of dietary fiber, inadequate water intake, and lack of exercise. Additionally, certain medical conditions or medications can also lead to constipation.
Understand Constipation: Causes | Symptoms | Types | TCM Treatments
Symptoms of constipation
Constipation symptoms vary from person to person but usually include reduced bowel movements, hard stools, difficulty passing stools, or feeling incomplete after a bowel movement. Many people may also experience bloating, abdominal pain, or loss of appetite. These symptoms can affect daily life and may lead to other health issues, so it's important to understand and recognize constipation symptoms. Symptoms of constipation include:
- Fewer than three bowel movements per week
- Lumpy or hard stools
- Straining during bowel movements
- Feeling as though you cannot completely empty your bowels
- Feeling of rectal blockage
- Needing to use fingers to aid in bowel movements
Groups affected by constipation
Constipation can affect many different groups of people. Factors such as lifestyle habits, diet, and stress make some people more likely to experience constipation. From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, imbalances in body constitution and external factors can lead to constipation. Understanding which groups are more prone to constipation helps in early identification and timely prevention, thereby improving overall health conditions.
- Qi Deficiency Constitution:In TCM, Qi is believed to have functions of promotion, defence, and stabilization. People with a Qi deficiency lack sufficient Qi to propel stools out of the body, making them prone to constipation.
- Yang Deficiency Constitution:People with Yang deficiency mainly lack Yang Qi, causing the body to lose its warmth, leading to internal cold and stagnation. This makes it difficult for nutrients to be transported and transformed, resulting in constipation due to accumulation.
- Yin Deficiency Constitution:Those with Yin deficiency have insufficient bodily fluids, which leads to a lack of moisture in the intestines. Without adequate lubrication, stools become dry and difficult to pass, causing constipation.
- Damp-Heat Constitution:Individuals with a damp-heat constitution have both dampness and heat pathogens in the body. Heat consumes bodily fluids, and the lack of moisture in the intestines causes stools to become dry. Dampness creates stickiness, making it difficult for stools to be expelled, leading to constipation.
- Qi Stagnation Constitution:People with Qi stagnation experience blocked Qi movement, disrupting the normal function of the intestines in transmitting and expelling stools. Additionally, stagnation can transform into fire, which damages bodily fluids and causes stools to dry out, resulting in constipation.
Constipation is not only related to one's constitution but may also be caused by disease factors, so it is important to seek medical attention for a clear diagnosis. Additionally, women are more likely to experience constipation compared to men. Why is this the case?
- Hormonal Issues
Progesterone, a hormone present only in women, has the function of suppressing muscle contractions, which reduces colon motility. Progesterone secretion peaks from ovulation until the start of menstruation, making women more prone to constipation during this time. After menstruation begins, progesterone levels decrease, and colon activity resumes, making bowel movements easier. Many women have experienced easier bowel movements after the start of their menstrual period. - Autonomic Nervous System Dysfunction
The colon is influenced by the autonomic nervous system, so emotionally sensitive women have a higher chance of experiencing constipation than men. Excessive anxiety, high stress, and emotional instability can cause autonomic nervous system dysfunction, affecting gastrointestinal health. Insufficient digestive and absorptive capacity and slower intestinal peristalsis can also lead to constipation. - Pregnancy
During early pregnancy, the body secretes progesterone to maintain the pregnancy, which reduces colon motility and makes constipation more likely. Additionally, morning sickness often leads to irregular eating habits, contributing to constipation. In late pregnancy, the expanding uterus can compress the colon, also causing constipation. - Improper Diet
Some women over-diet to lose weight, leading to a monotonous diet and low food intake. This reduces the amount of residue in the digestive system, hindering normal bowel movements and causing stool to remain in the intestines for too long, leading to constipation. - Pelvic Floor Muscle Impact
When stool reaches the rectum, the pelvic floor muscles often need to help expel it. For pregnant and postpartum women, weak pelvic floor muscles are a common problem, leading to constipation. Prolonged sitting, low activity levels, or long-term bedridden conditions can also cause constipation.
Types of Constipation
Now that we have a better understanding of which groups are prone to constipation helps us explore how traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) categorizes and treats constipation. The causes of constipation are often closely related to an individual's constitution, a concept in TCM that is formed by both genetic and environmental factors. People prone to constipation usually include those with Qi deficiency, Yang deficiency, Yin deficiency, damp-heat, and Qi stagnation constitutions. Based on the attributes of Qi, blood, Yin, Yang, cold, heat, deficiency, and excess, TCM divides constipation into several basic types, each with corresponding treatment plans.
- Excess Heat in the Stomach and Intestines: Symptoms include dry, hard stools, days without bowel movements, abdominal distension, a preference for cold drinks, mouth sores, bad breath, and dark-yellowish urine.
- Liver-Spleen Qi Stagnation: Symptoms include difficulty passing stools, dry or non-dry stools, a feeling of incomplete evacuation, depression, frequent belching, chest and abdominal distension and pain.
- Spleen and Lung Qi Deficiency: Symptoms include dry or soft stools, the urge to defecate but difficulty doing so, sweating and shortness of breath during straining, fatigue after bowel movements, pale complexion, and general weakness and lethargy.
- Blood Deficiency and Depleted Fluids: Often seen in individuals weakened by illness, symptoms include long-term dry stools, thin body, dry throat, lack of fluids, pale complexion, palpitations, forgetfulness, dizziness, and weakness in the lower back and knees.
- Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency: Symptoms include dry or non-dry stools that are difficult to pass, clear and long urine, pale complexion, cold hands and feet, a preference for warmth, aversion to cold, cold abdominal pain, and heavy cold sensations in the lower back.
How Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Treats Constipation
The primary goal in treating constipation in TCM is to restore the normal downward movement of the intestines. To achieve effective treatment, different approaches are used depending on the type of constipation. For excess conditions, purging is applied; for deficiency conditions, supplementation is used; for mixed conditions, both purging and supplementation are employed. Specific treatments include:
- For Excess Conditions: Purging is applied to remove the excess.
- For Deficiency Conditions: Supplementation is used to strengthen the body.
- For Mixed Conditions: Both purging and supplementation are employed.
- For Heat Accumulation: Clearing heat and moistening the intestines.
- For Cold Accumulation: Warming and promoting movement.
- For Qi Stagnation: Promoting Qi circulation and relieving stagnation.
- For Qi Deficiency: Tonifying Qi to aid movement.
- For Blood Deficiency: Nourishing blood and moistening the intestines.
- For Yin Deficiency: Nourishing Yin and moistening dryness.
- For Yang Deficiency: Warming Yang and expelling turbidity.
In addition to oral herbal decoctions or patent medicines, TCM employs various other therapies, such as herbal enemas, herbal plasters, and acupuncture, all of which can help alleviate constipation. Therefore, if you suffer from chronic constipation or severe symptoms (such as abdominal pain, vomiting, or blood or mucus in the stool), it is important to seek medical attention promptly for appropriate treatment and care.
Daily Care for Constipation
- Even if there is no urge to defecate, sit on the toilet at a fixed time daily to relax and develop a regular bowel habit, we recommend it after breakfast. Do not wait to go to the toilet only when the urge comes.
- Consume adequate water and high-fiber foods such as leeks, celery, burdock, and sweet potatoes.
- Fatty foods have a mild stimulating and lubricating effect on the intestines and can be consumed in moderation if there are no liver, gallbladder, or pancreatic conditions. Avoid overeating and excessive consumption of rich, greasy foods like Youtiao, fatty meat, and cakes.
- Massage the abdomen in a clockwise circular motion around the navel to stimulate bowel movement. Abdominal hot compresses can also be used if there are no other abdominal organ conditions.
- Maintain a regular lifestyle and engage in moderate exercises such as walking, yoga, or swimming.
- If constipation is due to environmental changes or temporary physical or psychological factors, do not worry excessively. Try drinking a glass of cold milk or cold water after waking up in the morning to stimulate bowel movement.
Kontea Recommendation Products
Bowel Cleanser Tea
EffectsMost white-collar working adults are troubled by constipation, especially those who rarely stand up or move around. The cool-natured Cassia is capable of cleansing the bowel. It works similarly with Western laxatives, but it is less irritating and does not cause overly thin stool or stomach discomfort.
Suitable for:Constipation or dry stool.
Constipation Relief Paste
Effects: Tonify qi and blood, moisten intestines and laxative, warmly invigorate the kidney and regulate the flow of qi
Suitable for:Anyone who has constant constipation problem, especially the elderly and people with deficiency of Qi and blood.
Abalone Soup
Effects:Abalone is considered the champion of sea treasures, partly as it is nourishing yet deliciously not boring. Men and women can both enjoy this delicacy and still reap its health benefits. It is rich in protein, nourishes the Yin energy and kidney, helps with focus and eye health, regulates periods and moisturises, and it great for the intestines. Chinese yam is a premium in Chinese medicine, as it nourishes the lungs, spleen, and kidney. Cordyceps flowers are rich in nutrients, and promotes a healthy immune system, reduces fatigue, and protects the liver.
Suitable for:People who stay up late and is susceptible to heat, as well as people who have irregular periods and constipation. People who urinate often at night, has unstable blood pressure, and find difficulty staying focused will also benefit from this soup.
Snow Pear Soup
Effects:Snow pears as the main ingredient have lung-nourishing, anti-inflammatory, and heat-clearing properties, perfect for people with dryness and pulmonary fevers, and are also great in a diet for people coughing due to excessive heat. Snow pears also have lots of vitamins and organic acids, which is great for the stomach, soothing heat and dryness, relieving constipation and hydrating the skin, which are all great things for women’s complexions.
Suitable for:Fever, thirst, prolonged dry coughing, frequent drinkers and smokers, and people who love spicy food.
Kang Won Herbalist
Kang Won TCM Practitioner also recommends seeking medical attention as soon as rheumatic symptoms begin to appear. Early consultation allows us to provide you with suitable treatment and prevention plans based on your symptoms and underlying causes.
Our TCM Practitioner specializes in diagnosing and treating various internal health issues in the internal medicine field. We are dedicated to balancing the body's energy flow to alleviate internal problems and improve overall health. Therefore, if you have any concerns about rheumatic diseases, we welcome you to consult with us in person to learn more.
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