When Is Constipation Pain Normal, and When Is It an Emergency?

So it's been a few days since you had a good poop, and your stomach doesn't feel great—maybe it's even passed from just uncomfortable into downright painful. But how much constipation pain or discomfort is normal? And when is constipation pain an emergency?

Some level of constipation pain is par for the course, Niket Sonpal, MD, an internist and gastroenterologist in New York, told Health. "Pain from normal constipation should feel like slight discomfort in the abdominal area from stool that cannot be passed," Dr. Sonpal said. "You may feel like your stomach is 'full' from the cramping and bloating in your intestines," Dr. Sonpal explained.

If you're just having a normal run-in with constipation, which happens to many people from time to time, then you can expect it to resolve itself within a few days to a couple of weeks, according to Dr. Sonpal. "Normal constipation may be uncomfortable, but it should not interfere with the quality of a person's daily life," Dr. Sonpal said.

Home Remedies and Lifestyle Changes

Home treatments for constipation include drinking a cup of coffee, drinking a lot of water, getting some exercise, or using an over-the-counter laxative, Rudolph Bedford, MD, a gastroenterologist at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California, told Health.

If you're dealing with constipation on a regular basis, it's worth making changes to your lifestyle to try to get yourself more regular. Namely, increase your fiber intake by eating more fruits and vegetables, consider a high-fiber bran-based cereal, drink lots of water, and try to get regular exercise, Dr. Bedford recommended.

If that doesn't work, you'll want to talk with your healthcare provider to figure out what else might be going on and get into a schedule that works for your body. You don't want to be regularly using laxatives without your doctor's insight, as laxative overuse can actually lead to more constipation, Dr. Bedford cautioned.

Once you do manage to have a complete bowel movement, it may take a bit of time before your gut is totally comfortable again—typically within 24 hours, Dr. Bedford said. "You've just finished stretching the bowel walls. It doesn't just come back to a normal caliber immediately. There may even be some underlying spasming that's going on as you are relieving yourself," Dr. Bedford said.

When To See a Healthcare Provider

There are some symptoms that take constipation from the occasional nuisance to a get-to-a-doctor emergency.

If you haven't pooped in more than two weeks, even after you've tried over-the-counter options like stool softeners and laxatives, you might want to make an appointment with a specialist like a gastroenterologist, Dr. Sonpal recommended.

"Pain isn't a defining feature of severity," Elana Maser, MD, assistant professor of gastroenterology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and gastroenterologist at the Feinstein IBD Center at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, told Health. "Someone might be more constipated but in less pain, or vice versa. But the fact that it's extremely painful is absolutely a reason to get help from a healthcare provider."

If you're in terrible pain that's affecting your ability to live your life, see a healthcare provider. "Severe abdominal pain is one of the number one drivers of emergency room visits, and people are often surprised that the cause of this pain—which can sometimes feel worse than labor pains—is actually due to constipation," Dr. Maser said.

Fever

And there are more concerning symptoms, too. "If you spike a fever (anything over 100 to 101 degrees Fahrenheit) while constipated, you'll want to see a healthcare provider ASAP, as it likely means there's something else going on," Dr. Bedford said.

Bleeding

Blood is another reason to see your doctor immediately. Whether you have dark blood in the stool itself or bright red blood on the toilet paper, get it checked out. Some people might assume that seeing bright blood on toilet paper is "just" hemorrhoids, but that's a mistake, Dr. Bedford said. "Never assume that it's hemorrhoids. That could be the first sign of colorectal cancer," Dr. Bedford cautioned.

Complications

Constipation can sometimes lead to health complications, so it's important to get treatment if it's persistent.

Diverticula are little pockets within the colon that are more common after age 40. Often, they don't cause problems, but they can get inflamed if they break open.

"Diverticular disease is usually caused by constipation itself where little pockets develop within the colon and if those pockets break open that will cause diverticulitis," Dr. Bedford explained. This can cause fever along with abdominal pain, and it won't resolve on its own without treatment, Dr. Bedford said.

In extreme cases, severe constipation could lead to something called obstipation, where the colon is almost completely blocked. Left for long enough, the buildup can cause the colon to perforate, allowing the contents of the bowel to spill into the abdomen.

"When we see constipated people who have abdominal pain and they're doubled over, you're worried the colon, like a balloon, might pop," Dr. Bedford said. "Typically they're in quite a bit of pain before that happens and that is an emergency."

If you're experiencing any of these symptoms, you should try to manage your constipation. "If you have any sort of discomfort of any severity level, you should try to empty your bowels," Dr. Maser said. "If you have trouble emptying your bowels on your own or the pain doesn't go away, you should see your healthcare provider."

A Quick Review

Constipation is normal and happens from time to time. Sometimes simply drinking more water, getting more fiber in your diet, having a cup of coffee, or trying over-the-counter laxatives will do the trick to get things moving again. Usually constipation will go away on its own within a couple of days to a few weeks.

But if you're experiencing pain or haven't pooped in more than two weeks, it's time to see a healthcare provider. You should also get medical treatment if you have a fever in addition to constipation or if there is blood in your stool.