Constipation
Free Symptom Checker
with Physician-supervised AI
Reviewed By:
Aiko Yoshioka, MD (Gastroenterology)
Dr. Yoshioka graduated from the Niigata University School of Medicine. He worked as a gastroenterologist at Saiseikai Niigata Hospital and Niigata University Medical & Dental Hospital before serving as the Deputy Chief of Gastroenterology at Tsubame Rosai Hospital and Nagaoka Red Cross Hospital. Dr. Yoshioka joined Saitama Saiseikai Kawaguchi General Hospital as Chief of Gastroenterology in April 2018.
Unnati Patel, MD, MSc (Family Medicine)
Dr.Patel serves as Center Medical Director and a Primary Care Physician at Oak Street Health in Arizona. She graduated from the Zhejiang University School of Medicine prior to working in clinical research focused on preventive medicine at the University of Illinois and the University of Nevada. Dr. Patel earned her MSc in Global Health from Georgetown University, during which she worked with the WHO in Sierra Leone and Save the Children in Washington, D.C. She went on to complete her Family Medicine residency in Chicago at Norwegian American Hospital before completing a fellowship in Leadership in Value-based Care in conjunction with the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, where she earned her MBA. Dr. Patel’s interests include health tech and teaching medical students and she currently serves as Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Arizona School of Medicine.
Content updated on Apr 4, 2024
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How Ubie Can Help You
With an easy 3-min questionnaire , Ubie's AI-powered system will generate a free report on possible causes.
Questions are customized to your situation and symptoms, including the following personal information:
Biological Sex - helps us provide relevant suggestions for male vs. female conditions.
Age - adjusts our guidance based on any age-related health factors.
History - considers past illnesses, surgeries, family history, and lifestyle choices.
Your symptoms
Our AI
Your report
Your personal report will tell you
✔︎  When to see a doctor
✔︎  What causes your symptoms
✔︎  Treatment information etc.
People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
Unable to pass motion
Feel like I need to have a bowel movement
Recent bowel motion was hard and small
Recent stool was hard and small
Find it hard to poop
I want to poop but don't come out
Recent stool was like a pellet.
Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.
About the Symptom
Constipation is defined as having fewer than three bowel movements per week, accompanied by hard, dry, or lumpy stools, difficulty or discomfort in passing stools, or a sensation that not all stool has been eliminated.
When to see a doctor
Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms
Family history of colorectal cancer
Edema
Abdominal pain
Decrease in stool caliber
Possible Causes
Generally, Constipation can be related to:
- Cystic Fibrosis (CF)
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder that causes severe damage to the lungs, digestive system, and other organs in the body.
Acute Porphyria
Acute porphyria refers to a group of rare genetic disorders affecting heme production, leading to a range of symptoms.
- Amyloidosis
A disease in which "amyloid," an abnormal type of protein, accumulates in various organs, causing damage. Affected areas can include the heart, kidneys, and gastrointestinal tract. The causes are diverse.
- Hypothyroidism
- Constipation
Cardiac Amyloidosis
- Pheochromocytoma
- Inguinal Hernia
Related serious diseases
Sometimes, Constipation may be related to these serious diseases:
- Intussusception
A condition where a segment of the intestines "telescopes" into another. This can cause the intestine walls to die, so prompt medical attention is needed. It is associated with certain genetic conditions and growths, but often no clear cause is found.
- Hepatic Encephalopathy
Doctor's Diagnostic Questions
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:
Have you had hard stools or constipation lately?
Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.
Find Similar Symptoms
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References
Constipation
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/constipation/
Reviewed By:
Aiko Yoshioka, MD (Gastroenterology)
Dr. Yoshioka graduated from the Niigata University School of Medicine. He worked as a gastroenterologist at Saiseikai Niigata Hospital and Niigata University Medical & Dental Hospital before serving as the Deputy Chief of Gastroenterology at Tsubame Rosai Hospital and Nagaoka Red Cross Hospital. Dr. Yoshioka joined Saitama Saiseikai Kawaguchi General Hospital as Chief of Gastroenterology in April 2018.
Unnati Patel, MD, MSc (Family Medicine)
Dr.Patel serves as Center Medical Director and a Primary Care Physician at Oak Street Health in Arizona. She graduated from the Zhejiang University School of Medicine prior to working in clinical research focused on preventive medicine at the University of Illinois and the University of Nevada. Dr. Patel earned her MSc in Global Health from Georgetown University, during which she worked with the WHO in Sierra Leone and Save the Children in Washington, D.C. She went on to complete her Family Medicine residency in Chicago at Norwegian American Hospital before completing a fellowship in Leadership in Value-based Care in conjunction with the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, where she earned her MBA. Dr. Patel’s interests include health tech and teaching medical students and she currently serves as Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Arizona School of Medicine.
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Dale Mueller, MD
Cardiothoracic Surgery, Vascular Surgery
Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery Associates
