Holds chapters for days

Defecation is a human need that must be done because it is a part of the digestive process. Generally, defecation can be done one to three times a day, or at least three times a week. So, what happens when you hold your bowel movements for days? Come on, see the explanation here.

How long can a person hold bowel movements?

Basically, the frequency of bowel movements for each person will be different. Some people defecate once every two days, while others have several bowel movements a week.

This frequency will also depend on a person's age and diet. However, most people will have one to three bowel movements a day.

When there is a change in your bowel movement schedule, you may experience constipation. However, these changes will be different for each person.

For example, a person who normally defecates every three days normally may not need medical attention. This also applies when some people can only defecate once or twice a week, but with normal characteristics.

Therefore, the duration of how long a person can survive to hold bowel movements depends on their individual conditions. However, it is certainly not recommended to hold back the toxins that should be removed from the body.

As a result of holding back defecation

In fact, holding back the occasional bowel movement is harmless. You may not be near the toilet or in a situation where you cannot do this. Meanwhile, some of you may feel uncomfortable defecating in public and choose to do it at home.

Even so, this behavior that tends to occur in children can certainly endanger health, especially when done too often.

You see, defecating aims to empty your intestines so as not to cause flatulence or pain. When detained, it can certainly affect the digestive system and surrounding organs.

In early 2013 there was a case of holding back defecation by a teenager from England. This young girl died because she did not defecate for 8 weeks.

Adolescents with autism do experience digestive problems throughout their lives. He is also afraid of going to the toilet, so he chooses to hold back his bowels.

The results of the examination reported that this teenager had a heart attack due to an enlarged intestine that put pressure on several other internal organs.

Besides being able to cause death, there are other health problems caused by holding back defecation, namely:

1. Stool becomes hard

Stool contains 75% water with a mixture of bacteria, protein, indigestible leftovers, dead cells, fat, salt, and mucus. Since its main content is water, feces can move easily along the intestines and are excreted through the rectum.

When defecating is held, the stool will become hard and dry because the body reabsorbs the water content in it. Hard stool is difficult to pass. This can lead to abdominal pain, which is a sign of constipation.

In addition, you may also feel restless and lose your appetite due to holding back bowel movements.

2. Bowel movements slow down

Keeping bowel movements done for a long time can certainly damage bowel movements. Bowel movements can be slowed down and it may stop functioning.

Even if you are not given food, the intestines will still produce a small amount of watery fluid and mucus, so the intestines are not completely empty. Whether you realize it or not, you will also tighten your pelvic and butt muscles when you intentionally don't defecate.

At the same time, stool that is still liquid can slip through the solid mass of faeces. As a result, the stool clots get bigger and feel very painful when defecating.

If you continue to eat without defecating, your colon can become swollen due to the buildup of hardened stool. This can cause the colon to be injured or torn.

3. Bacterial infection

Did you know that holding back bowel movements is tantamount to storing a pile of toxins in the body for a long time? This behavior can certainly damage the large intestine which ultimately does not allow the body to get rid of toxins.

You are also at risk of becoming infected with bacteria when there is stool that leaks out through an existing cut or tear in your intestine or rectum. An infected intestine allows bacteria to multiply rapidly.

As a result, the intestines become inflamed and fill with pus. This infection can also put pressure on the intestines, thus blocking blood flow to flow through the intestinal wall. As a result, the intestinal tissue is deprived of blood and dies slowly.

This condition will continue until the intestinal muscle walls become thin, then burst. This allows pus that contains bacteria in the intestine to leak into other parts of the stomach or what is commonly referred to as peritonitis.

When should I see a doctor?

Sometimes it is okay to hold a bowel movement. However, when it's done too often and you experience some of these symptoms, it's best to see a doctor.

Bloody stools.
Unable to defecate for 7 - 10 days.
Constipation, then diarrhea, and having the same cycle over and over again.
Pain in the anal area or the end of the large intestine.
Diarrhea that does not get better, especially accompanied by vomiting.

It is highly recommended to defecate immediately when you want to do it. Being accustomed to holding it in will actually trigger new problems which of course require medical treatment such as constipation.

If you have further questions, please discuss with your doctor to find the right solution.