What does your colon look like when constipated?

There’s no denying that constipation is an uncomfortable and embarrassing problem that most of us have experienced at some point. It can leave you bloated, gassy, and feeling like you’ve got a brick in your stomach.

But have you ever wondered what’s going on inside your body when you’re constipated? Well, wonder no more. In this article, we’ll take a look at what your colon looks like when it’s not able to do its job properly.

The Basics of Constipation

Before we dive into the specifics of what happens in your colon when you’re constipated, let’s review some basics.

Constipation is defined as having fewer than three bowel movements per week or experiencing difficulty passing stool for more than two weeks1. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all definition for normal bowel habits since there are so many factors to consider – age, diet and lifestyle being just a few.

However, one thing is certain: when waste materials sit inside the large intestine (colon) for too long without being eliminated properly through defecation, they begin to dry out and harden thereby making them difficult to pass 2. This leads to discomfort and often pain during attempted bowel movements.

1 – Causes Of Constipation

Several things can cause or contribute towards constipation:

  • Dehydration (when) thebody doesn’t get enough water causing stools to become dehydrated.
  • Lack of fiber in diet (which) makes toilet visits less frequent due to non- bulky feaces.
  • Low physical activity levels [(^3)][^4]
  • Certain medications such as opiates and antidepressants which slow down gut motility leading thickening of fecal matter.


MEDICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH CONSTIPATION |
— |
Antihypertensive therapies such as Ca++ channel blockers, ACE inhibitors
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs)
Diuretics

What Does A Constipated Colon Look Like

It’s not a pretty sight, but it’s important to understand what exactly is happening in your body when you’re constipated. Your colon (large intestine) has one job: take the waste that comes from food and lead its eradication out of your body.

2 – Delayed Transit Time

Transit time normally refers to how long ingested food takes in the digestive system before being eliminated. When there are traces of constipation, however, this cycle gets delayed mainly due to poor motility leading to longer exposure times in the gut.
Hence, a prolonged stay of bowel content along intestinal pathways may pad up and make drying faster than expected which eventually causes an audible ‘splatch’ sound upon evacuation

3 – Stretching Of The Bowel Wall

As stool accumulates within the intestines over an extended period it begins accumulating more matter; hence growing abnormally large. With no exit route available for removal since movement through smooth muscles[^(5)], ends up easily overstretching which often leads feeling like bloating or abdominal tenderness (delayed onset) all done following receptor stimulation linked with stretching.


an image showing relief caused by passing defecation

4 – Increase In Pressures And Straining

When you’re pushing hard during attempted eliminations even with very little gain; pressures pressing against both sides horizontally compress them onto each other increasing resistance required on pelvic floor muscles constrictions making further movements harder still whether solid or semi-solid stools have formed as build-up from straining. Repeated act exacerbates the matter causing more pronounced impacts.

5 – Backflow of Waste Material

The longer faecal materials exist without being expelled, pressure can build up within the colon and cause material to backflow in reverse direction toward other body parts which could lead to infections or inflammation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we hope this article has been both informative and entertaining in discussing how constipation affects your bowel movement. It’s important to recognize when you might be struggling with a slow or inadequate elimination (cycle i.e defecation) as it is crucial for good health maintenance; maintaining healthy bowels could even stop cancer cells from developing [6]. Eat diets high fiber intake & drink enough water regularly exercise all assist digestion however if symptoms persist then professional medical advice should be sought.

[6] Choung RS Almadi MA Buchner AM Am J Gastroenterol. (2019). PMID:31335492


  1. “Definition And Facts For Constipation,” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, July 24th, 2018. 

  2. “Constipation Symptoms and Causes,” Healthline Media UK Ltd., January 11th,2020.
    (^3): “Management Of Constipation In Adults: BMJ Best Practice,” copyright BMJ Publishing Group Limited (and American Accreditation HealthCare Commission), May 28th ,2021
    (^4) : Thomas R.E et al (2009) Physical activity may facilitate defacation by improved colonic motor function 

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