What Can Constipation Cause?

Suffers of constipation, especially chronic constipation, often ask the question ‘what can constipation cause?’ Most cases of constipation are harmless and are easily treated. If it becomes chronic however, medical attention may be required to prevent other conditions to develop.

What Can Constipation Cause


Most common condition that can be caused by constipation is abdominal pain. This pain can be felt in the whole area from below the ribs all the way down to the pelvis. The abdomen area contains many
organs such as stomach, pancreas, liver, bowels and reproductive organs. Since there are so many possible causes of abdomen pain, it is sometimes difficult to link back to constipation. If the cause of abdomen pain is not diagnosed in time, constipation can then also be the cause of abdominal mass. This is a condition of swelling in the abdomen.

Further what can constipation cause is a condition called megacolon. Megacolon is a dilatation of the colon, which basically means an abnormal enlargement of the colon. If untreated, a megacolon can develop into a toxic megacolon which is considered a complication that can lead to death.

Back pain is also a possible direct result of constipation. If the stool becomes hard and dry, the lower intestine and surrounded areas will be under a lot of pressure. As long as the waste material is not excreted from the body, the pressure will continue to increase. This pressure then will have an effect on the nerves and muscles in the area and as a result cause the back pain. So, when asked what can constipation cause, include back pain as well.

In some cases the pain can even travel further than the back and can cause tingling or numbness in the legs. This is a result of pressure on the sciatic nerve. Constipation will definitely intensify the pain experienced.

No More ‘What Can Constipation Cause’ Questions.


To prevent going through a check list of what can constipation cause, it is better to avoid constipation altogether. On other pages on this web site that is explained in detail, but the bottom line is, eat well with a diet high in fiber, live a healthy life style including exercise and drink a lot of water or fruit juice. Remember that most cases of constipation are only mild and temporary. They can easily be treated at home. However, once you develop any of the symptoms mentioned, you should link the dots together. On the question ‘what can constipation cause’, you should be able to say, ‘nothing for me, since I know how to avoid it’.

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