American's reliance on laxatives has spurned a nationwide shortage. But there are several other ways to produce free-flowing bowel movements in the meantime. One of the trendiest constipation ...

The US has been dealing with a shortage of laxatives. But a doctor said she wouldn't recommend laxatives unless a patient had upped their fiber intake. Doctors recommend high-fiber foods such as ...

Pooping is an essential part of digestive health. Yet, it’s estimated that up to 16% of American adults have symptoms of constipation, which is partially defined as having less than three bowel ...

Constipation is a digestive symptom that makes passing your stool difficult or painful. It involves straining during bowel movements, having hard or dry stools, and feeling like you haven't completely ...

As a pediatric urologist, I treat children of all ages with a variety of toileting difficulties, including bedwetting, daytime wetting, encopresis (poop accidents), chronic urinary tract infections, ...

Get inspired by a weekly roundup on living well, made simple. Sign up for CNN’s Life, But Better newsletter for information and tools designed to improve your well-being. This predicament is known as ...

Squatting may help people complete a bowel movement, particularly if they are constipated, but this position can be difficult with a pedestal toilet. Using a foot stool can help replicate a squatting ...

Robert Burakoff, MD, MPH, is a board-certified gastroenterologist who serves as vice chair of Ambulatory Services at Lower Manhattan Hospital and professor of medicine at the Weill Cornell Medical ...

Stool softeners make stools easier to pass by increasing moisture. Stool softeners can take up to 72 hours to work. Other ...

Constipation is difficulty emptying your bowels. Fecal impaction is the buildup of hardened stool in your bowel that you can’t pass. Fecal impaction is a potential complication of chronic constipation ...

Patients often arrive in pain, miserable, and desperate for relief from constipation. Defined as fewer than three bowel movements per week lasting more than 4 weeks, chronic constipation affects about ...