Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Constipation
Constipation means having fewer than three bowel movements a week. The stool (poop) can be hard and dry. Sometimes it is painful to pass. At one time or another, almost everyone gets constipated. In most cases, it lasts a short time and is not serious.
There are many things you can do to prevent constipation. They include:
- Eating more fruits, vegetables and grains, which are high in fiber
- Drinking plenty of water and other liquids
- Getting enough exercise
- Taking time to have a bowel movement when you need to
- Using laxatives only if your health care provider says you should
- Asking your provider if medicines you take may cause constipation
It's not important that you have a bowel movement every day. If your bowel habits change, however, check with your provider.
It sits within Digestive System and Symptoms.
The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Constipation
1,237 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research currently under way
- Study of Transanal Irrigation vs Standard Care for Constipation, Gut Microbiota, and Motor Disorders in Parkinson's DiseaseUniversity Hospital of Ferrara
- A Study of Virtual Reality and Linaclotide for IBS-CMayo Clinic
- Aerobic Exercise and Guided Imagery in Low Anterior Resection SyndromeBiruni University
- Use of a Squatting Assist Device in Patients With ConstipationMayo Clinic
- Safety and Pharmacokinetics Study of Naldemedine in Paediatric Participants Receiving OpioidsShionogi
- Single-center Exploratory Study of the Intestinal Microbiota in Patients Treated for Irritable Bowel Syndrome With Predominant Constipation and Methane ProductionHospices Civils de Lyon
Research already completed
- To Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Pediococcus Acidilactici PA53 in Relieving Constipation in AdultsWecare Probiotics Co., Ltd.
- Probiotics for Alleviating Functional Constipation in AdultsWecare Probiotics Co., Ltd.
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Start Here
- ConstipationMayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Definition and Facts for ConstipationNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Symptoms
- Symptoms and Causes of ConstipationNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Diagnosis and Tests
- Colonoscopy: MedlinePlus Health TopicNational Library of Medicine
- Diagnosis of ConstipationNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
- Lower GI Series (Barium Enema)National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
- Lower GI X-Ray (Barium Enema)Radiological Society of North America
Treatments and Therapies
- Eating, Diet, and Nutrition for ConstipationNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
- Flaxseed and Flaxseed OilNational Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Nonprescription Laxatives for Constipation: Use with CautionMayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Treatment for ConstipationNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Related Issues
- Dyssynergic Defecation: About a Common Cause of Chronic ConstipationInternational Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders
- Rectal ProlapseAmerican Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons
- Solitary Rectal Ulcer SyndromeMayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: ConstipationNational Institutes of Health
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Constipation. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Constipation, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.