@thestomachdoc: 5 constipation warning signs you should NEVER ignore. Constipation is common, but sometimes a change in your bowel movements can be a sign of something more serious. 1. Abdominal pain that radiates to your back: Severe or persistent stomach pain that travels to your back may indicate something more serious than ordinary constipation and needs medical attention. 2. Can’t pass gas, swollen belly, and vomiting: These can be warning signs of a bowel obstruction, where something is blocking your intestines. This is a medical emergency. 3. Blood in your stool: Bright red blood, maroon stools, or black, tarry stools can indicate gastrointestinal bleeding. Never automatically assume it’s hemorrhoids. 4. Pencil-thin stools and incomplete emptying: A persistent change in stool shape, especially if you never feel completely emptied, can sometimes indicate narrowing in the colon or rectum. 5. New constipation after age 45: If you’ve always had regular bowel movements and suddenly develop constipation that lasts longer than a week, get it checked out. These symptoms don’t automatically mean colon cancer or a bowel obstruction. Conditions like IBS, medications, and other digestive problems can also cause changes in bowel habits. But new, persistent, or unexplained constipation should never be ignored, especially when accompanied by other warning signs. And remember, if you’ve always been regular and suddenly you’re not, that’s a reason to talk to your doctor.

Dr. Joseph Salhab

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Monday 09 November 2026 19:04:18 GMT