What you may notice

• Hard stool
• Stooling less than usual
• Abdominal cramp or fullness
• There may be pain in anus
• There may be blood in stool or toilet paper

What may have caused it?

• Poor diet: intake of refined foods, excess meat intake, excess milk intake, eating foods without oil
• Inadequate water intake
• Caffeine use e.g. in Lipton, coffee, energy drinks
• Alcohol intake
• Drugs like tramadol, codeine, antacids
• Poor bowel habit e.g. suppressing the urge to stool

What you can do

• Ensure regular toileting
• Eat fruits, e.g. 2 balls of orange (with the flesh) three times a day
• Eat vegetables
• Drink plenty water, at least 3 liters in a day
• Regular exercise
• Intake of laxatives, for example lactulose, laxido, Dulcolax etc.

Please visit your doctor if

• Symptoms persist
• You are vomiting or have distended tummy
• Blood appears in your stool
• If you develop hemorrhoids(pile)