Medical Information

For this article, I decided to write about the top 5 causes of constipation. Constipation is something I have dealt with for many years. As you know, constipation is a common problem and at some point, nearly everyone will deal with it in their life time. It is also one of the most searched topics on the internet as far as medical topics. Many people ask, what causes constipation? Here we will look at the top 5 causes of constipation.




1. Fiber



Not having enough fiber in your diet is by far the top cause of constipation. Fiber is important to the body for many reasons, the most important reason being for your digestion of course. Fruits have a lot of fiber. Many people that deal with constipation may find that they aren't eating enough fruits. Make sure to eat plenty of fruit! Also, many types of cereal also include a lot of fiber.



2. Medications



Medications are supposed to help us, but they also carry side effects. One such side effect of many medications is constipation. Even some over-the-counter medications may cause medications. This can include Tylenol, and many anti-depressants. The best way to avoid this is to make sure you only take medications unless you absolutely need them. In addition, if you find out that one of your medications is causing this side effect, try looking for an alternative medication.



3. Habit



Are you in the habit of having to go to the bathroom but holding it? This may eventually lead to problems with constipation. It is important to go to the bathroom whenever you need to. Failure to do so can result in a decreased urge of having to go to the bathroom. This of course leads to constipation.



4. Hormones



Believe it or not, hormones can also affect your bathroom habits and lead to constipation. For instance, a woman who is going through her period may often find that she has a hard time going to the bathroom. If you are dealing with constipation and also dealing with hormones, this may be the cause.



5. Diseases



Although it is rare, constipation can also be caused by a disease that may affect the brain or spinal cord. Although you shouldn't jump to conclusions, if you are dealing with long-term constipation you should always go to the doctor just to be safe.



I hope this list of the top 5 causes of constipation will help you in dealing with constipation in the future. If you are to take anything from this list, it should be to make sure you have enough fiber in your diet! The majority of constipation problems can be fixed through a simple change in diet. So go start eating some fruit!



Ashley has had a history of dealing with constipation for many years. Earlier this year she decided to create her own Constipation Remedies blog. Through this blog she has researched constipation remedies and posted any information that she learns.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ashley_D._Wilson

The disc is made of connective tissue with fluid lubricating it. You could see the disc as a shock absorber. The disc protects the bones in your spine from rubbing together.



Sometimes the disc is not healthy and a sudden movement can cause it to "slip out". The disc, which is the cushion and soft portion has now slipped out. It can either slip a little where you have less of a cushion and a little pain, or it can slip out so badly that it hits a nerve and cuts of nerve flow. If it is this bad, it can cut off nerve flow to anywhere in your body causing numbness and tingling.


Discs become brittle over time. There is no proven cause, however, my theory is that we do not move enough and stretch enough, so the tissue does not get the movement it needs to stay lubricated. Think of an engine part drying out and losing oil. The parts would freeze up and become brittle. Soon, they would no longer move. They would also likely break because they are no longer soft, they dry out.


Your connective tissue is your tendons and ligaments, the cushion in your knee joint and the cushion between the bones in your back. All the bones are held together with connective tissue and the muscles are held to the bones with connective tissue. An irritation in this connective tissue that does not heal can become chronically inflamed and develop scar tissue.


There are solutions to pain and inflammation in your joints. Glucosamine sulfate is the best answer to joint problems. It is important to use Glucosamine SULFATE. There are various types of glucosamine. Glucosamine hydrochloride or HCL is cheaper than the sulfate type, so often it is used in supplements. If you have taken glucosamine before and did not get any benefit, perhaps it was the wrong type and you could try the right type to see if that helps.


Glucosamine has a natural anti-inflammatory action that can often be felt the same day you use it. Even if you do not feel it immediately, it is working to rebuild your connective tissue. Your body uses that as the raw material to build and repair tissue. If you take this long term, you will be far less likely to suffer joint issues. Your body can heal itself if you give it the right tools.

Tight muscles are another cause of back pain. When you sit still all day, the muscles are not stretched and they get tight and put pressure on the discs in your back and that puts pressure on the nerves. The best thing to do is to stretch. Bend over and touch your toes and move around a bit. You can be injured from just sitting still. In fact, it is easier to be injured from sitting still as your body was designed to be moved.


Sitting still at your desk all day can make your muscles tighten more each day. Eventually, they can be so tight that they compress the nerves and you get nerve inflammation and pain. There are herbs that relax the muscles such as corydalis. This is a popular Chinese herb for muscles spasms and cramps. Gentiana root is also popular. It is used as a natural anti-inflammatory. In Chinese medicine, it is considered to "clear heat". You could see heat as modern inflammation.


There is one caveat on glucosamine sulfate. It is usually derived from shellfish, so if you have an allergy to shellfish, please do not take it.

Deborah Neil has a Master's Degree in Oriental Medicine. Her goal is to educate people about Chinese Medicine. Chinese Medicine is the primary form of health care in China and has been used for thousands of years. It can be used to treat just about any ailment, because it treats the root cause, not the symptom.


To see how Chinese Herbs can help you, see http://www.ginseng.am.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Deborah_Neil