Having constipation means to have a common digestive problem where it may be hard to have bowel movements, or the bowel movements are infrequent. Also, the stools can be hard which makes it difficult for them to pass through, meaning people have to strain to get them out.

Constipation can be prevented by following some of these tips:

• Don’t resist having a bowel movement when you get the urge
• Trying to set aside a fixed time each day for a bowel movement
• Eating more fiber
• Drinking plenty of fluids
• Not taking laxatives too often
• Exercising more frequently
• Limiting the intake of foods high in sugars and fat

To find out the causes of constipation, one must first understand how stools are formed. As food makes its way through the digestive tract, the body extracts water and nutrients from it. This is the process that forms stools, and these are then funneled through the intestines by muscle contractions. This process could be affected by a number of issues (including those listed above) that can cause the stools to pass more slowly through the intestines, causing constipation.

Constipation

Constipation can be treated by following the preventative tips above. If it persists, then a visit to the doctor is essential as it could be the cause of a serious underlying problem.

Kidney stones are described as stone-like lumps which can form in either one, or both kidneys. They are quite common, but to understand what they are, we have to discuss the function of the kidneys.

First of all, the kidneys are approximately four inches long and are shaped like a bean. There are two of them in the body and they are located near the back of the abdomen area, one on each side of the spine. The job of a kidney is to remove waste products from our blood and then pass this waste into the bladder along with excess fluids to be disposed of in the urine.

Kidney stones can be categorized into four main types. Calcium stones which are made up of calcium and phosphate or oxalate; struvite stones which are made of ammonia and magnesium (these ones can often be quite large); uric acid stones (the smallest and softest type of kidney stone); and cystine stones which are normally yellowish in color and look like crystals as opposed to stones. All kidney stones can come in different shapes, colors and sizes – from the size of a grain of sand to (in some extreme cases) the size of a golf ball.

Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are formed when the waste products collected by the kidney do not dissolve properly in the fluid that will make up the urine, which then forms little crystal-like substances that can accumulate in the kidney. Over time these can form a hard lump that looks like a stone – the kidney stone.

When kidney stones are formed, they will very often try to leave the body via the urinary system, which can create problems, especially if they become blocked.

In nearly all countries of the world, back pain is the single largest cause of absence due to sickness from work. It is a chronic problem in a lot of people and a large proportion suffer from recurring problems. More often than not, the pain is due to minor damage that may have occurred to the muscles of ligaments of the back due to a variety of reasons such as lifting, twisting, being overweight or even standing in the wrong sort of position.

On other occasions it can be caused by more serious medical conditions such as a slipped disc, a disease like arthritis, muscle tears or scoliosis (curvature of the spine). When first suffering from back pain it is always advisable to visit a physician just to clarify the pain is not due to a treatable medical condition, and this is especially true in younger people.

Common Back Pain

Symptoms of back pain include a sharp pain in a specific area, a generalized ache in the region of the buttocks or lower back, stiffness and difficulty bending over. When the pain is due to a prolapsed disc there could be pressure on a nerve which will send pain radiating down the back of a leg to the foot. This is known as sciatica.

Back pain can occur to anyone of any age, but is more common in individuals who are overweight and those who sit in a slouching position for long periods of time. Treatment for back pain depends on the cause, but things like pain killers, losing weight and changing posture are the norm for “non-medical” back pain.