Functional constipation

From Self-sufficiency
Jump to: navigation, search

Functional constipation, known as Chronic Idiopathic Constipation (CIC), is constipation that does not have a physical (anatomical) or physiological (hormonal or other body chemistry) cause. It may have a neurological, psychological or psychosomatic cause. A person with functional constipation may be healthy, yet has difficulty defecating.

Symptoms and diagnosis

Chronic Idiopathic Constipation is similar to constipation-predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS-C), however people with CIC do not have other symptoms of IBS, such as abdominal pain.[1] Diagnosing CIC can be difficult as other syndromes must be ruled out as there is no physiological cause for CIC. Doctors will typically look for other symptoms, such as blood in stool, weight loss, low blood count, or other symptoms.

To be considered functional constipation, symptoms must be present at least a fourth of the time.[2]

Functional constipation, as medically defined by the Rome III criteria,[citation needed] has many causes, including:

See also

References

Cite error: Invalid <references> tag; parameter "group" is allowed only.

Use <references />, or <references group="..." />





  1. http://www.acg.gi.org/patients/gihealth/pdf/functional.pdf
  2. http://www.acg.gi.org/patients/gihealth/pdf/functional.pdf