2020 Dec 14. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2020 Jan–.
ABSTRACT
Constipation is a common complaint encountered in the clinical practice with a prevalence of 16% in all adults and 33% in adults older than 60 years. There is no universally applicable definition of constipation. Most physicians consider constipation as infrequent bowel movements, typically less than three per week. However, patients report constipation with a broader set of symptoms that may include difficulty in passing stool, harder stool consistency, abdominal cramping, and incomplete stool evacuation.