Constipation is defined as having a bowel movement fewer than three times per week. With constipation stools are usually hard, dry, small in size, and difficult to eliminate. Constipation means different things to different people. For many people, it simply means infrequent stools. For others, however, constipation means hard stools, difficulty passing stools (straining), or a sense of incomplete emptying after a bowel movement.

Some people think they are constipated if they do not have a bowel movement every day. However, normal stool elimination may be three times a day or three times a week, depending on the person. Constipation is a symptom, not a disease. Almost everyone experiences constipation at some point in their life, and a poor diet typically is the cause.

Constipation is difficult to define clearly because as a symptom it varies from person to person. Constipation occurs among all ages, from newborns to elderly persons. However, this condition is more common among the elderly. Women experience this problem more than men. The most common cause for constipation is a diet poor in fibre and low in fluid intake.