Constipation is a condition that is characterized by infrequent bowel movements that are painful or difficult and stools that are hard in consistency. Infrequent bowel movements alone are not a reliable indicator of constipation because bowel frequency can vary between three times a day to once a week among normal individuals.

Therefore, hard stools that are difficult to pass or infrequent stools accompanied by abdominal pain, back pain and abdominal bloating define important constipation. The other causes includes low fiber diets. Fiber is vegetable material that is resistant to digestion. It promotes soft stools by adding bulk to the stool and causing water to be retained in stool.