Fast facts
- Constipation is when you have trouble pushing out poo or you're not pooing regularly.
- Constipation can make your pelvic pain worse.
- Pelvic pain can also contribute to constipation.
- Relaxing your pelvic floor can help.
- Drinking enough water and eating regularly can support healthy bowel movements.
- If your symptoms aren't getting better, it’s time to talk to your doctor.
What is constipation?
Constipation is when you have trouble pushing out poo, or you’re not pooing regularly. Pelvic pain can lead to constipation, but constipation can also make existing pelvic pain worse.
Being constipated increases pressure, irritation and inflammation in the general pelvic area. You might feel bloated, crampy or spend a long time on the toilet trying to poo.
Your muscles can get overprotective and tighten up when you’re in pain. If the muscles in the pelvic floor, which control pee and poo, tighten, it can be harder to allow the bowels and bladder to poo or pee.
When you ignore the urge to poo, the poo in your bowels can get harder, drier and more uncomfortable to push out. This can lead to an ongoing cycle of discomfort and constipation.
.jpg "An illustration of pelvic floor muscles")
An illustration of the pelvic floor muscles.
Things that contribute to constipation include the:
- food you eat
- medicine you take
- exercise you do
- way you sit on the toilet.
Your poo can tell you a lot about your health. It’s good to get to know your poo and how often you go, so you know what’s usual for your body.
What should I do if I’m constipated?
There are a lot of different things that can help if you’re constipated. You might want to try a few of them and see what works best for you.
Manage stress and distract yourself
- Try to lower your stress levels – stress can cause your metabolism (how your body converts food to energy) to slow down.
- Spend time doing something you enjoy.
- Test out meditation or grounding exercises.
- Distract yourself; it can help relax your muscles.
- Try watching a TV show or video, reading a book or listening to music.
Use heat
- Use heat to encourage your bowels to start moving.
- You could rest a heat pack on your stomach or lower back, or take a warm shower.
Your position on the toilet
The way you sit on the toilet can make a big difference. Try to:
- Rest your feet flat on the floor (not dangling) – this helps the pelvic floor muscles to relax
- Have your knees slightly higher than your hips – you might want to use a foot stool
- Lean forward a little with a straight back (not slumped over)
- Place your elbows or hands on your knees, if it’s comfortable
- Relax your shoulders and stomach.
Timing and habits
- Don’t ignore the urge to poo when it sets in.
- Your bowels are usually most active 15 to 30 minutes after eating.
- Try not to rush on the toilet, but don’t stay too long either.
- It’s okay to sit for five minutes, but try not to stay longer than 10 minutes.
- Avoid straining on the toilet – this can worsen your pain or cause your pelvic floor muscles to get even tighter, making it harder to empty your full bowel or bladder. Instead of straining, focus on belly breathing.
Food and drink
Water
- Drinking enough water throughout the day can help soften your poo. You could:
- Carry a drink bottle with you
- Drink warm or iced drinks if you prefer them – you could even add fruits to your water, or drink herbal tea
- Set regular alarms to remind you to drink
- Use smartphone apps to make drinking water into a game.
Eat regularly
Establish routines to combine multiple healthy food and drink habits. This is sometimes called habit stacking. For example, use the toilet when you wake up, then drink a glass of water.
Food is a signal to the body to move the bowels. For most young people, three meals a day with two to three snacks is a good amount of food to fuel your body. Your digestive tract is like a conveyor belt; regular meals keep it moving.
When you skip meals:
- the colon slows down
- poo sits in the bowels for longer
- more water is absorbed out of the poo, making it harder to push out
- harder poo causes more straining and tightens the pelvic floor muscles, leading to more pelvic pain.
Fibre
Fibre can help your bowels to work well and supports healthy gut bacteria. This helps to reduce inflammation and pain and also supports your mental health.
There are two main types of fibre:
Soluble fibre
Helps to soften poo and is gentler on bloating. It’s found in:
- Rolled oats and porridge
- Chia seeds
- Ground linseeds
- Fruits like kiwi fruit, berries, apples, pears and bananas
- Vegetables like eggplant, peas, avocado, sweet potato, carrot and turnip
- Legumes like lentils, chickpeas and beans.
Insoluble fibre
Adds bulk to your poo and helps it move through the bowel. It’s found in:
- Fruit – particularly the skin and seeds
- Vegetables – particularly the skin and seeds
- Wholegrain products like pasta, bread, brown rice, quinoa and barley
- Nuts and seeds.
Start by gradually adding more fibre to your diet. Adding too much fibre too quickly – especially if you’re not drinking enough water – can make bloating worse, so go slowly.
Read more tips about food and pelvic pain
Laxatives or stool (poo) softeners
- Laxatives or stool softeners help to soften your poo; you can buy them at pharmacies.
- If you take laxatives or stool softeners, it’s good to remember there’s usually a lag time between taking them and needing to go to the toilet.
- Sometimes it can help to take laxatives or stool softeners consistently, rather than waiting until you have symptoms of constipation.
- There are different types of laxatives. Speak to your doctor or a pharmacist about which laxatives might work for you, how much you should take and how often you should take them.
When to get help
Changes often take time and you might not notice a difference overnight. However, sometimes reducing your stress or changing what you eat isn’t enough to get rid of constipation.
It might help to get some extra support if your symptoms are:
- making your pelvic pain worse, or
- you struggle with certain textures, food or eating.
Support options
- Your regular doctor (GP) – the best place to start. They can refer you to other specialists and discuss options like laxatives or a Chronic Disease Management plan.
- Dietitian – a specialist in food and nutrition who can help you change your eating habits, add more fibre to your diet or suggest a supplement. You can ask your GP for a referral or find a dietitian near you on the Dietitians Australia website.
- Pelvic floor physiotherapist – can teach you exercises to relax your pelvic floor.
- Occupational therapist (OT) – can help you overcome challenges to complete everyday activities. For example, teaching you techniques to relax your muscles when going to the toilet.
Helpful links