Editing Constipation (section)

==Definition==
[[File:BristolStoolChart.png|thumb|upright=1.7|[[Bristol stool scale]]]]
Constipation is a symptom, not a disease. Most commonly, constipation is thought of as infrequent bowel movements, usually fewer than 3 stools per week.<ref name=Jam2011>{{Cite journal|last1=Jamshed|first1=Namirah|last2=Lee|first2=Zone-En|last3=Olden|first3=Kevin W.|date=2011-08-01|title=Diagnostic approach to chronic constipation in adults|journal=American Family Physician|volume=84|issue=3|pages=299–306|issn=1532-0650|pmid=21842777}}</ref><ref>[http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic2833.htm "Constipation"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070329015509/http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic2833.htm |date=29 March 2007 }}. eMedicine.</ref> However, people may have other complaints as well including:<ref name=AGA2013/><ref name=walia>{{cite journal |vauthors=Walia R, Mahajan L, Steffen R | title = Recent advances in chronic constipation | journal = Curr Opin Pediatr | volume = 21 | issue = 5 | pages = 661–6 | date = October 2009 | pmid = 19606041 | doi = 10.1097/MOP.0b013e32832ff241 | s2cid = 11606786 }}</ref>
* Straining with bowel movements
* Excessive time needed to pass a bowel movement
* Hard stools
* Pain with bowel movements secondary to straining
* Abdominal pain
* Abdominal bloating.
* the sensation of incomplete bowel evacuation.

The [[Rome process|Rome III Criteria]] are a set of symptoms that help standardize the diagnosis of constipation in various age groups. These criteria help physicians to better define constipation in a standardized manner.