What is meant by normal bowel habits?
There is no correct number of bowel movements. Everyone’s system is different. In healthy individuals the frequency of bowel movements varies from three per day to three per week. As a result of this variation, constipation is difficult to define. Generally, constipation is the passage of hard stools fewer than three times per week, often including gas and discomfort. Symptoms such as the following usually point to a problem: • infrequent (fewer than three a week) bowel movements • hard, dry stools that are difficult and painful to pass • the sensation of a full rectum, even after you have had a bowel movement Most people suffer from occasional constipation, which is easily treated with changes in lifestyle and occasional use of laxatives. However, ignoring constipation or not maintaining good bowel habits can lead to chronic constipation. Chronic constipation is a change in how your bowel works and can result in the inability of your bowel to work correctly. Chronic constipation requi
