Functional constipation

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Gastro psychology

Specialities

Gastroenterology Neurogastroenterology]] Physical health psychology

Functional gastrointestinal disorder

Chronic functional abdominal pain Functional dyspepsia Functional heartburn Non-cardiac chest pain (NCCP) Functional colonic disease Functional constipation Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Other disorders

Colitis Colon disorders Constipation Crohn's disease Diarrhea Fecal incontinence Irritable bowel disease(IBD) Peptic ulcer Ulcerative colitis

Related topics

Defecation Digestion Digestive system Digestive system disorders Gastric plexuses Gastric secretion Gastric acid Gastric reflexes Gastrointestinal system Gastroenterology Gastrointestinal hormones Gastrointestinal peptides Gastrointestinal system Ingestion Psychosomatic medicine Rome process

Functional constipation is a form of constipation with a psychological or psychosomatic background. A person suffering from it is physiologically healthy, but still experiences trouble defecating. Functional constipation is medically defined by the Rome III criteria.

Functional constipation has many causes, some of which are:

• a bad diet
• an unwillingness to defecate
• nervous reactions, including prolonged and/or chronic stress and anxiety, that close the inner anal sphincter muscle, which isn't under voluntary control
• inability or unwillingness to control one's outer anal sphincter, which is normally under voluntary control
• deeper psychosomatic disorders which sometimes affect digestion and the absorption of water in the colon