Constipation or irregularity, is a condition of the digestive system where a person (or animals like, cats, dogs) experiences hard feces that are difficult to eliminate.

constipated a cause for concern?

if you notice blood in your faeces, develop abdominal pain, or put on or lose weight, then there may be a cause for concern and you are recommended to see a doctor immediately.

It is retention of the stools or inability to have a bowel movement for any reason. slow movement of faeces through the large intestine, and it is often associated with large quantities of dry, hard faeces in the descending colon that accumulate because of the long time allowed for absorption of fluid.

Signs and Symptoms of Constipation

The stool is hard and difficult to pass, Headache, languor, depression, coated tongue, loss of appetite, sleeplessness, anaemia and eruptions of an urticarial type are some of the symptoms. Sometimes, there is temperature, which rises upto 1020 F. The retention of the stools is followed by alternating diarrhoea, which sometimes leads to wrong diagnosis. Straining to pass stool may cause hemorrhoids and anal fissures.In later stages of constipation, the abdomen may become distended and diffusely tender and crampy, occasionally with enhanced bowel sounds.

Causes for Constipation

The main causes of constipation include:

* Hardening of the feces
o Wrong food (diet), lack of vegetables,  Deficiency of Vitamins.
Too rough or dry food. Insufficient intake of dietary fiber
o Dehydration
o Medication, e.g. diuretics and those containing iron, calcium, aluminium
* Paralysis or slowed transit, where peristaltic action is diminished or absent, so that feces are not moved along
o Hypothyroidism (slow-acting thyroid gland)
o Hypokalemia
o Injured anal sphincter (patulous anus)
o Certain crude drugs such as opium, iron etc; hard waters and functional inactivity of   the liver cause constipation. Loperamide, opioids (e.g. codeine & morphine) and certain antidepressants
o Severe illness due to other causes; occasionally colds or flu
o Acute porphyria (a very rare inherited condition)
o Lead poisoning
* Dyschezia syn(usually the result of suppressing defecation)
* Constriction, where part of the intestine or rectum is narrowed or blocked, not allowing feces to pass
o Strictures
o Diverticula
o Tumors, either of the bowel or surrounding tissues
o Retained foreign body
* Psychosomatic constipation, based on anxiety or unfamiliarity with surroundings.
o Functional constipation. Sedentary habits.
o Constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome, characterized by a combination of constipation and abdominal discomfort and/or pain.

Habitual constipation may give rise to piles and distension of colon with ulcerative condition or agony of the colon.

Yoga (Remedy) Treatment For Constipation

Asanas

• Surya Namaskara – Sun Salutation
• Pavanamuktasana
• Trikonasana
• Halasana
• Tadasana
• Matsyasana
• Ardhamatsyendrasana
• Pranayama
• Bhastrika Pranayama with kumbhaka
• Bandh
• Uddiyana Bandha
• Mulabandha

Beside the above mentioned asana and pranayama practice of yoga nidra, concentration and meditation gives the best result.

Therapeutics Yoganidra

YogaNidra is a state of conscious Deep Sleep. YogaNidra brings an incredible calmness, quietness and clarity. It has great Therapeutics values.

• Guided Inner Body Meditation_Eng.mp3
• Guided Yoganidra Meditation English.mp3
• Guided Yoganidra Meditation Hindi.mp3

Diet for constipation

• Take light meals including fresh foods, vegetables and salads. Avoid starch consumption, spices, fats, excessive salt. Drink plenty of water. know more about Diet.
• See Link to Online Video, Swami Ramdev expounds on Yoga, Pranayama and home remedies as the only traditional cures for Constipation & Piles.

Baby (child) constipation

• What is Infant (newborn) constipation?
• when child has trouble or in pain while emptying their bowels, and the bowels will not be emptied as often as usual is called as baby constipation.
• Probable causes for Baby (kid) constipation:
• Bottle feeding: Bottle fed babies often undergo constipation because bottle milk is harder for a baby to digest. Where as, a breastfed baby will very rarely get constipation because breast milk is more easily digested.
• Breastfed babies also have higher levels of a hormone called motiline that increases the movement of the bowels.

Preventing Baby (child) constipation:

Once your baby is between four to six months old, you can start introducing more porridge and fruit or vegetable purées into their diet. These are rich in fiber and will help prevent constipation.

Home Remedies for Constipation & Piles

Intake of adequate fluids enhances the digestive syatem so, drink on an average about 10 to 15 glasses of water (not cold).  Drinking of water in early morning empty stomach kept in copper vessel overnight is beneficial.

Intake high fiber diet prevents constipation and hardening of stools.

Physical activities.  Start exercise.

Taking juice of cabbage with black pepper, rock salt relieves from constipation. Spinach mixed with carrot juice is equally good too.

Taking mango fades away the constipated condition.

Taking boiled black grapes(dried) in milk before sleeping works as evacuation of bowel.

Taking figs in the morning cures chronic constipation.

Taking boiled dates in milk certainly stop constipation.

Taking Spiegel seeds (immersed in water for a night) + sugar in the morning, reliever from constipated

Guava helps in constipated conditions

Castor oil is very useful remedy in easy evacuation of bowel.

Taking 2 table spoon of almond oil in milk before sleeping, clears bowel next morning without any difficulty.

Taking triphala, haritaki, baheda and amla in equal amount twice a day is very good and effective remedy in relieving from constipation.

Kindly find following research papers in category Research