Every person has a unique bowel movement frequency and pattern. It is important to note that some people have daily bowel movement while some only have a bowel movement once every 3 days. What is important is that your bowel habit does not cause you difficulty to pass the stools out (no need to strain excessively), abdominal or anal pain, bloating or bleeding. If you have no problem passing stools, you are not suffering from constipation.
On top of your baseline bowel movement frequency, each person's bowel habit can be affected by diet changes, physical activity, physical/psychological stress, concomitant medical problems or use of medications that may cause constipation. These are the things that we understand so far. There could be more factors that modern medicine is not aware of yet.
You should consult a specialist in constipation to get an in-depth assessment of your bowel habit and determine whether you can correct any of the factors that is causing your constipation. In some cases, you may require laxatives to aid your bowel movement. Sometimes, the laxatives are required for a prolonged period of time. Some patients who are taking laxatives can stop the laxatives once their constipation improves.
As dietary fiber adds bulk to your stools, it may worsen constipation in some patients while it helps others. In other words, increasing dietary fiber does not always help a person overcome constipation. It depends on the type of constipation the person is suffering from.
Look for a gastroenterologist or colorectal surgeon who specializes in functional bowel disorders to help you address the problem.
