It is but typical for people to have constipation every now and then as caused by the following: stress, less fiber in diet, lack of water intake, lack of exercise or change in dietary intake. Usually,people are advised by doctors to eat more fruits and vegetables to add more bulk to their stool. Various over-the-counter (OTC) drugs like laxatives can be helpful when one is constipated. Having more exercise can also promote healthy digestion and avoid constipation problems. However, when symptoms become more severe and frequent, then chronic constipation maybe the problem.Taking more laxatives can pose health risks because excessive stimulation of the digestive system can result in Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). The ideal approach to treatment is visiting a doctor for check-up.
Usually, doctors require adequate medical data about a patient to diagnose properly.In some cases, chronic constipation is just a superficial manifestation of an underlying medical condition that must be addressed.In such cases, chronic constipation becomes secondary constipation. Metabolic disorders, Neurologic disorders, colon diseases or abuse of narcotic drugs can lead to chronic constipation. It is normal then for doctors to require several chronic constipation diagnostic tests just to be sure, check the description below:
Diagnostic tests for chronic constipation
*Scope Tests This has 3 tests: sigmoidoscopy, rigid proctoscopy and colonoscopy. This is important for doctors because they can check for bleeding, inflammation or presence of tumors in some parts fo the colon. A biopsy can also be performed using the colonoscope.
*Defecating Proctogram X-ray- It identifies how effective the sigmoid colon and rectum release stool.
*Anal and Abdominal Ultrasound – Sound waves are harnessed to create an image of abdomen and sphincter muscles.
*Anorectal Testing – This test can evaluate if the rectum and pelvic floor muscles are working fine when releasing stool.
*Colonic Motility Test – One of the state-of-the-art diagnostic tests for chronic constipation. An endoscope fitted with a special balloon is inserted into the colon. This test can help doctors decide if surgery is really the last option that the patient must undergo.
*Hydrogen Breath Test – Some cases of chronic constipation maybe caused by lactose or fructose intolerance.
This test measures the quantity of hydrogen gas in the breath.
Indeed, advances in technology allows doctors to perform complex diagnostic tests for chronic constipation. Since these tests are now available, doctors can conduct effective treatment for chronic constipation.