Constipation
Constipation is a condition of the digestive system where a person (or other animal) experiences difficulty in eliminating feces.Some of the main causes of constipation include:
- Constriction, where part of the intestine or rectum is narrowed or blocked, not allowing feces to move past
- Paralysis, where peristaltic action is diminished or absent, so that feces are not moved along
- Excessive drying of feces, forming a hard bulk that cannot be eliminated
- Insufficient intake of food or dietary fiber, so that a suitable bolus is not formed
- Psychosomatic constipation, based on anxiety or unfamiliarity with surroundings
People often take laxatives to try to eliminate constipation. Earlier remedies included enemas.
Screaming Jay Hawkins wrote and sang "Constipation Blues" while suffering a serious bout. He had the following to say about the condition.
"I never before had been constipated in my life and it didn't dawn on me until I was five hours on the stool in the hospital that nothin' was gonna happen. I had doctors give me enemas and still nothin' happened. I had tears in my eyes, and I noticed this beautiful roll of toilet paper and I took out a pencil and, at the bottom of the toilet paper, I started writin' the song backwards, from the bottom up. The more I rolled out the toilet paper, the more I got into the song. I wrote exactly as I felt, each movement, each sound, each pain..."
The Bonzo Dog Band recorded "The Strain" on the same subject.