The human body is designed to function smoothly, but sometimes we unknowingly put it under unnecessary stress. One such instance is straining during bowel movements. While it might seem like a minor ...

Jay N. Yepuri, MD, MS, FACG, is a board-certified gastroenterologist and member of the Digestive Health Associates of Texas Board of Directors and Executive Committee. Long-term constipation can lead ...

Anal fissures are small tears in the lining of the anal canal. They can cause sharp pain and bleeding, especially during or after bowel movements. Anal fissures can be acute (short-term) or chronic ...

Being constipated is the worst. If your fiber-fueled efforts to stay regular just aren’t working, try these eight proven habits and tricks--guaranteed to get things moving right along so you can ...

Abdominal pain, bloating, and constipation are common symptoms of bowel obstruction. Partial bowel obstruction symptoms may come and go for days or weeks before worsening. Intussusception in children ...

Tenesmus is the feeling you need to have a bowel movement, even if you just had one and your colon is empty. You may try to pass poop and find nothing comes out, or only small amounts leave your ...

The terms “hemorrhoids” and “rectal varices” are often used interchangeably, but they’re separate conditions with different causes and treatments. Hemorrhoids, also called piles, are swollen veins in ...

A person’s rectum, which is usually around 20 centimeters (cm) long, can hold up to 300 milliliters (mL) of feces before someone typically feels an urge to poop. However, research suggests that the ...