The role of the digestive system is to extract nutrients from the food a person eats and prepare the leftover material for disposal. This leftover material passes through at least 20 feet of intestine before being stored temporarily in the colon, where water is removed. Finally, this fecal residue is excreted as a bowel movement. The frequency of bowel movements considered normal varies from person to person. Constipation is not an illness, but it may be a symptom of another problem.
Constipation affects almost everyone at one time or another.
Most people do not need extensive testing because the condition usually resolves on its own. But sometimes constipation is a symptom of a more serious problem. Anyone with constipation that lasts for more than 2 weeks should see a doctor so that the source of the problem can be found. The doctor will do blood tests and examine the colon. The longer the fecal residue sits in the colon, the harder the stool becomes and the more difficult it is to pass.