We take in a lot of food every day and it is digested in the stomach and intestines. It gives us energy, minerals and other nutrients so that we can keep running smoothly. Remains of this accumulate in the rectum and will leave the body during bowel movements. Sometimes it can happen that one has the urge, but it just doesn’t work out. What can you do if you don’t have an urge to defecate?
Pooping is not possible
- What do you excrete with your bowel movements?
- Hard blockage and pooping do not work
- Influence of pelvic floor tension
- Insufficient relaxation and stress
- What to do?
What do you excrete with your bowel movements?
If you get the urge to defecate, there is an accumulation of feces in the rectum. This is the last vertical part of the intestinal tract before the mixture leaves the body. The droppings consist of food remains, which are no longer absorbed. Plus, it’s packed with consumed intestinal bacteria. Normally, poop has a dark brown color and this is caused by the addition of bile after it has passed through the stomach. Bilirubin has been added to the greenish bile. This is a waste product after hemoglobin has been broken down from red blood cells. This substance is yellow and will turn brown in high concentrations. As soon as one feels the urge, one goes to the toilet. But what should you do if you can’t poop?
Hard blockage and pooping do not work
If the feces remains in the intestinal tract for a long time, possibly due to internal disorders, the feces can dry out. The droppings harden, which can cause a blockage. It can also be difficult to move through the intestinal tract. Once it has finally reached the rectum due to the peristaltic movement, it will have difficulty passing through the opening. Normally it is soft, so the sphincter does not have to do much work. This is different with a hard droppings and so it will only come out with a lot of force when pressing. Besides, it can hurt.
Influence of pelvic floor tension
The pelvic floor is formed by a hard, firm muscle, so that the contents of the abdomen are retained. How tight those muscles are has a direct influence on the functioning of the sphincter, the bladder and the vagina. A muscle that is too weak causes, for example, the bladder, uterus and intestines to sag. High tension means that the sphincter muscle is difficult to open, forcing poop to be held back. High pelvic floor tension is relatively common in women. After giving birth to a child, you should do sufficient muscle exercises to allow the pelvic floor to recover normally. This can lead to excessive tension.
Insufficient relaxation and stress
The amount of tension on the sphincter is also related to stress. A lot of work pressure and tension ensure that there is relatively more acid in the body. This lactic acid ensures that muscles are more contracted, including the sphincter. Too much stress is never good for the body, because acids can cause aches, cramps and inflammation. In addition, stress uses up a lot of serotonin, which plays into the hands of depression. De-stressing, slowing down and optimism are therefore essential to have a healthy body. These factors also influence how well bowel movements occur.
What to do?
Do you have the urge to poop but you can’t, what can you do? Because it is often related to too much tension in the muscles, relaxation is important. For most people, half an hour of walking certainly helps to release the tension. It is important not to think about defecation, but to enjoy the beautiful nature outside, for example. Bowel movements can then occur in a more relaxed manner. This method is always preferable to an enema, because the intestines remain active. You shouldn’t concentrate too much on it while defecating either. For example, read a comic book or play a game on your mobile. It often happens naturally this way. However, if it still doesn’t come out, think for a few days to a week – then you can consider an enema or bowel movement-stimulating medication. Please inquire with your doctor about this.
read more
- Blood in my poop: reasons for bloody stools
- Stool in different color variations
- Watery stools, diarrhea, stomach flu: the causes!
- Tingling hands and feet when defecating
- Squatting defecation: how can one improve bowel movements?
