Constipation causes

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Causes

Common Causes

The main causes of constipation include:

• Hardening of the feces
  • Improper mastication (chewing) of food
  • Insufficient intake of dietary fiber
  • Dehydration from any cause or inadequate fluid intake
  • 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
  • Hypothyroidism (slow-acting thyroid gland)
  • Hypokalemia
  • Injured anal sphincter (patulous anus)
  • Medications, such as loperamide, opioids (e.g. codeine & morphine) and certain tricyclic antidepressants
  • Severe illness due to other causes
  • Acute porphyria (a rare inherited condition)
  • Lead poisoning
• Dyschezia (usually the result of suppressing defecation)
• Constriction, where part of the intestine or rectum is narrowed or blocked, not allowing feces to pass
  • Stenosis (Strictures)
  • Diverticula
  • Tumors, either of the bowel or surrounding tissues
  • Retained foreign body or a bezoar
• Psychosomatic constipation, based on anxiety or unfamiliarity with surroundings.
  • Functional constipation
  • Constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome, characterized by a combination of constipation and abdominal discomfort and/or pain
• Smoking cessation (tobacco smoking has a laxative effect)
• Abdominal surgery, other types of surgery, childbirth

Causes by Organ System

Cardiovascular	No underlying causes
Chemical / poisoning	Lead poisoning,
Dermatologic	No underlying causes
Drug Side Effect	5-HT3 antagonist, 5-Hydroxytryptophan, Acamprosate (patient information), Acebutolol (patient information), Actiq, Aldesleukin (patient information), Alendronate (patient information), Alfentanil Hydrochloride Injection (patient information), Alfuzosin (patient information), Aluminium hydroxide, Amiodarone Oral (patient information), Amitriptyline (patient information), Amobarbital (patient information), Anastrozole (patient information), Aprepitant (patient information), Aripiprazole (patient information), Anagrelide (patient information), Atorvastatin, Atovaquone (patient information), Auranofin, Barium Sulfate (patient information), Benzatropine, Benzonatate (patient information), Bepridil (patient information), Bezafibrate, Bile acid sequestrant, Bortezomib (patient information), Buspirone (patient information), Butabarbital (patient information), Calcitriol, Calcium carbonate (patient information), Capecitabine (patient information), Carbamazepine (patient information), Carboplatin (patient information), Carteolol (patient information), Cerivastatin (patient information), Cetuximab Injection (patient information), Chlordiazepoxide (patient information), Chloropyramine, Chlorpropamide, Cholestyramine, Choline Magnesium Trisalicylate (patient information), Cidofovir Injection (patient information), Cimetidine Hydrochloride Injection (patient information), Cisapride (patient information), Cladribine (patient information), Clofarabine Injection (patient information), Clomipramine, Clonazepam (patient information), Clonidine, Clorazepate (patient information), Clozapine, Codeine, Codeine (patient information), Colesevelam (patient information), Colestipol (patient information), Colofac, Daptomycin, Darbepoetin Alfa Injection (patient information), Darifenacin (patient information), Darunavir (patient information), Desipramine (patient information), Dextroamphetamine and Amphetamine (patient information), Dextropropoxyphene, Diacetyldihydromorphine, Diazepam (patient information), Dicyclomine (patient information), Diethylcathinone, Diflunisal, Dihydroetorphine, Diltiazem (patient information), Diphenhydramine, Disopyramide (patient information), Diuretic, Dolasetron Mesylate Injection (patient information), Doripenem, Dosulepin hydrochloride, Doxepin (patient information), Duloxetine, Enfuvirtide Injection (patient information), Epoetin Alfa Injection (patient information), Esomeprazole (patient information), Estazolam (patient information), Estradiol Topical (patient information), Ethcathinone, Ethosuximide, Ethylmorphine, Etodolac (patient information), Etoposide, Famotidine (patient information), Felbamate (patient information), Felodipine (patient information), Fenofibrate (patient information), Fenoprofen (patient information), Fentanyl Citrate Injection (patient information), Ferrous Sulfate (Iron) (patient information), Fludarabine Phosphate (patient information), Fluphenazine (patient information), Flurazepam (patient information), Fluvoxamine, Fulvestrant Injection (patient information), Furosemide (patient information), Gabapentin (patient information), Ganciclovir (patient information), Gatifloxacin (patient information), Gemcitabine Hydrochloride (patient information), Gemfibrozil (patient information), Glycopyrrolate (patient information), Granisetron (patient information), Guanethidine (patient information), Guanfacine, H2 antagonist, Haloperidol, Hexamethonium, Hydralazine (patient information), Hydroxyurea (patient information), Hydroxyzine, Hyoscyamine (patient information), Ibandronate (patient information), Imatinib (patient information), Imipramine (patient information), Indomethacin (patient information), Insulin lispro injection (patient information), Interferon Beta-1b Injection (patient information), Iron supplements, Isocarboxazid (patient information), Itraconazole (patient information), Kaolin and Pectin (patient information), Lamivudine and Zidovudine (patient information), Lamotrigine (patient information), Lanthanum (patient information), Letrozole (patient information), Leuprolide (patient information), Levalbuterol Oral Inhalation (patient information), Levetiracetam (patient information), Levodopa and Carbidopa (patient information), Levomethadyl (patient information), Levorphanol Oral (patient information), Linezolid, Lofepramine, Lomotil, Loperamide, Loprazolam, Lorazepam (patient information), Lovastatin (patient information), Loxapine Oral (patient information), Magaldrate, Meclofenamate (patient information), Mefenamic Acid (patient information), Meropenem Injection (patient information), Mesalamine (patient information), Mesoridazine Oral (patient information), Metformin (patient information), Methadone, Methsuximide Oral (patient information), Methyprylon, Metoclopramide, Metoprolol (patient information), Misoprostol, Modafinil (patient information), MOPP (medicine), Morphine, Motofen, Nabumetone (patient information), Nateglinide oral (patient information), Nefazodone (patient information), Nicardipine (patient information), Nifedipine (patient information), Nilutamide (patient information), Nimodipine (patient information), Nizatidine (patient information), Nortriptyline (patient information), Olanzapine (patient information), Omeprazole (patient information), Ondansetron, Oxaliplatin injection (patient information), Oxazepam (patient information), Oxcarbazepine (patient information), Oxybutynin (patient information), Oxycodone, Pamidronate injection (patient information), Pancrelipase (patient information), Paroxetine, Peginterferon alfa-2b (patient information), Pemetrexed injection (patient information), Pergolide (patient information), Perphenazine oral (patient information), Pethidine, Phenelzine (patient information), Phentermine (patient information), Phenytoin oral (patient information), Pholcodine, Pimozide (patient information), Piperacillin sodium and tazobactam sodium injection (patient information), Piroxicam (patient information), Posaconazole (patient information), Pramipexole (patient information), Prazepam (patient information), Prazosin and polythiazide (patient information), Prednisolone, Pregabalin (patient information), Procarbazine (patient information), Procyclidine (patient information), Propafenone (patient information), Propantheline, Propoxyphene (patient information), Propranolol Oral (patient information), Protriptyline (patient information), Quetiapine, Rabeprazole (patient information), Ranitidine (patient information), Ranolazine (patient information), Rasagiline (patient information), Reboxetine, Repaglinide (patient information), Ribavirin (patient information), Rilmenidine, Risperidone (patient information), Rivastigmine (patient information), Ropinirole (patient information), Rosuvastatin (patient information), Saquinavir (patient information), Scopolamine, Secobarbital (patient information), Selegiline (patient information), Sevelamer (patient information), Sibutramine, Simethicone, Simvastatin (patient information), Sirolimus (patient information), Sitaxsentan, Sorafenib (patient information), Sotalol (patient information), Sucralfate, Sufentanil citrate injection (patient information), Sulindac (patient information), Sunitinib, Suxamethonium chloride, Tamoxifen (patient information), Tapentadol, Temazepam (patient information), Temozolomide (patient information), Terazosin, Teriparatide (rDNA origin) Injection (patient information), Thalidomide, Thioridazine (patient information), Thiothixene Oral (patient information), Tianeptine, Tiludronate (patient information), Tinidazole (patient information), Tiotropium, Tolterodine, Topiramate, Topotecan Hydrochloride (patient information), Tranylcypromine (patient information), Triazolam (patient information), Triclofos, Trifluoperazine Oral (patient information), Trihexyphenidyl (patient information), Trimethadione (patient information), Trimipramine (patient information), Tropisetron, Trospium (patient information), Valproic Acid (patient information), Venlafaxine, Verapamil, Vicodin, Vigabatrin, Viloxazine, Vinblastine (patient information), Vincristine, Vinorelbine, Vorinostat (patient information), Zaleplon (patient information), Zidovudine Injection (patient information), Zileuton (patient information), Ziprasidone (patient information), Zoledronic Acid Injection (patient information), Zolpidem (patient information), Zonisamide (patient information), Zotepine,
Ear Nose Throat	No underlying causes
Endocrine	Conn's Syndrome (primary aldosteronism), Diabetes Mellitus, Glucagonoma, Hypothyroidism, Myxedema, Panhypopituitarism, Pheochromocytoma, Pseudohypoparathyroidism,
Environmental	Change of environment,
Gastroenterologic	Adhesion, Anal atresia, malformation, stenosis, Ascites, Benign colonic tumors, Bowel obstruction, Celiac disease, Crohn's disease, Chronic amebiasis], Colonic stricture, Colorectal Cancer, Corrosive enemas Descending perineum syndrome, Diverticular stricture, Diverticulitis, Extrinsic compression, Eosinophilic colitis, Gastroptosis, Hernia, Hirschsprung's Disease, Ileus, Imperforate anus, Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome, Intraabdominal/pelvic tumors, Intussusception, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Ischemic colitis, Paralytic ileus, Perianal abscess, Proctitis (ulcerative), Rectal, anal carcinoma, Rectal prolapse, Rectal ulcer, Rectocele, enterocele Ulcerative colitis, Volvulus, Wandering spleen,
Genetic	Hereditary internal anal sphincter myopathy, Batten disease, Cornelia de Lange Syndrome, Cystic fibrosis,
Hematologic	Acute Intermittent Porphyria, Amyloidosis,
Iatrogenic	Postoperative disorder, Adjustable gastric band, Upper gastrointestinal series,
Infectious Disease	Blastocystosis, Botulism, Chagas Disease, Chronic amebiasis, Hookworm, Lassa fever, Lymphogranuloma venereum, Syphilis, Tuberculosis, Typhoid fever, Opisthorchis infection, Polio,
Musculoskeletal / Ortho	Osteitis fibrosa cystica,
Neurologic	Amyloidosis, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Autonomic neuropathy, Chagas Disease, Diabetes Mellitus, Hirschsprung's Disease, Intestinal pseduoobstruction, Meningocele, Multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN 2b), Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular dystrophies, Neurofibromatosis, Paraplegia, Parkinson's Disease, Scleroderma, Spinal lesions, Tabes Dorsalis, Progressive supranuclear palsy,
Nutritional / Metabolic	Food intolerance, Hypercalcemia, Hypokalemia, Hypervitaminosis D, Iron deficiency anemia, Lack of fiber, Low fluid intake, Low-residue diet, Starvation, Ketogenic diet, Milk-alkali syndrome,
Obstetric/Gynecologic	Endometriosis, Ovarian cancer, Complications of pregnancy,
Oncologic	Colorectal Cancer, Benign colonic tumors, Multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN 2b),, Neuroblastoma, Rectal carcinoma, Renal cell carcinoma, Stomach cancer,
Opthalmologic	No underlying causes
Overdose / Toxicity	Acamprosate (patient information), Haloperidol
Psychiatric	Obsessive/compulsive disorder, Psychosis, Pseudocyesis,
Pulmonary	No underlying causes
Renal / Electrolyte	Uremia,
Rheum / Immune / Allergy	Scleroderma,
Sexual	No underlying causes
Trauma	Spinal cord injury,
Urologic	Urogenital tumors
Miscellaneous	Berdon syndrome, Corrosive enemas, Dehydration, Dietary change’s, Fasting, reduced food intake, Eating disorder, Emotional stress , Extended bed rest, Food allergy, Hypotonia, Idiopathic constipation, Repressed urge to defecate, Rett syndrome, Smoking cessation, SSRI discontinuation syndrome, Travel constipation,