6 consequences of holding on to the defecation (and what to do)

The act of holding on to the desire to evacuate can cause the heces to displace over the rectum, to an area called the sigmoid colon, in which the absorption of water contained in the heces takes place, so that when remaining there, the heces they harden and dry out, causing straining and making it difficult to evacuate.

On occasions, the daily activities happen that the person does not have time to defecate, it is used by the type of work, as in the case of cashiers in supermarkets or public transport drivers, for example, having to wait for las ganas defecar, and making this process more and more difficult.

Therefore, coping with the desire to defecate can favor the development of anal fissures and hemorrhoids, for example, which in turn can lead to bleeding in the heces, and it is recommended to consult a gastroenterologist or a general surgeon to carry out a clinical evaluation and indicate it. more adequate treatment.

The main consequences of holding on to the urge to evacuate are:

1. Stress

The most common consequence of resisting the need to evacuate is suffering from stress, due to which they remain longer in the intestine, where water absorption occurs and, for this reason, they dry up and become more difficult to expel .

What to do: The best moment to evacuate is immediately after feeling the ganas, so it is not necessary to have strength to defecate, which helps to keep the intestine working properly and, therefore, avoids the complications related to the stress.

2. Anal fissures

The anal fissures usually appear when they are quite hard and dry, which causes lesions during the year before defecating, which can bring as a result red color bleeding, pain and discomfort when defecating. Find out how to identify and treat anal fissures.

What to do: The treatment for anal fissures is carried out with the objective of preventing infections, being necessary to carry out adequate intimate hygiene, preferably using toilet paper moistened with water. Likewise, it is important to improve eating habits, always stay hydrated and avoid having to lose weight so that new cracks do not occur.

3. Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids arise due to the dryness of the heces and the effort carried out to evacuate, being usual in people who suffer from stress and who are unable to defecate in other places that are not in their home, retaining them there.

Hemorrhoids correspond to dilated and swollen veins that appear in the anal region, which can cause comezón and pain in the region, in addition to the presence of bleeding in the heces. Know what are the hemorrhoids and the main symptoms.

What to do: The treatment for hemorrhoids can be carried out with the use of ointments that reduce the dilatation of the veins and relieve pain, such as Proctoacid or Ultraproct, for example. However, when the hemorrhoids are not resolved with the time or with the use of ointments, the performance of surgery can be recommended by the doctor.

4. Abdominal hernias

Abdominal hernias can arise when a lot of effort is made to evacuate, and can occur with greater ease in people who suffer from strenuousness, which prevents them from defecating regularly.

Abdominal hernia is characterized by weakness in the musculature of the abdomen, which can protrude a part of the intestine in some weak point of these muscles, causing certain symptoms, such as pain, swelling and swelling in the hernia site.

What to do: In the case of abdominal hernia, the best option is to see a doctor to have the hernia corrected by means of a surgical procedure. Likewise, it is important to improve eating and living habits, with the aim of preventing abdominal hernia from appearing again.

Know how the abdominal hernia surgery is performed.

5. Diverticulitis

Diverticulitis is the acute inflammation of diverticula, which are small structures that appear on the walls of the intestine, mainly due to chronic stress. When these structures become inflamed, it can cause abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and fever, for example. Know more about diverticulitis.

What to do: It is recommended to help the gastroenterologist as soon as the first symptoms appear so that diagnostic tests are carried out and treatment can be started, avoiding complications such as perforation of the intestine and infections, for example.

6. Fecal incontinence

When you exert a lot of strength to evacuate, the muscles of the rectum and the year begin to atrophy, which the person does not manage to control the elimination of fecal matter, releasing gases and gases, both solid and liquid, involuntarily. Therefore, fecal incontinence can cause vergüenza and anxiety, interfering with the person’s quality of life. Know what is fecal incontinence and how to identify it.

What to do: The most recommended in the case of fecal incontinence is to consult a coloproctologist so that the problem is evaluated and the best treatment begins, which is usually carried out through physiotherapy and exercises to strengthen the pelvic muscles, relieving the symptoms of incontinence .

In addition, it is recommended that the person follows a diet rich in fiber and poor in foods that increase intestinal movements, such as coffee, for example.

See how the diet for fecal incontinence is performed.

Know how to evacuate correctly and avoid the consequences: