Constipation Colon Cancer

 
One of the worst things that can happen to a person is to be diagnosed, or for someone they love to be diagnosed with cancer.  There are various cancers that affect different parts of the body, a much too common one is colon cancer.  Colon cancer is when a malignant tumor is found in the colon.  The colon is a major part of our digestive system.  It makes up the majority of the large intestine, and one of its main functions in the body is that it aids in the absorption of nutrients, minerals and water as well as ridding the body of waste in the form of stool.

All cancers develop when something goes wrong with the cells in our body, the way they divide and grow.  In a healthy body cells divide and grow in an orderly manner.  However, when that process loses control, extra unwanted cells can be produced, more than the body can handle.  The said cells can accumulate and form precancerous masses or clumps.  When the precancerous cell masses grow along the walls of the colon or rectum area they are referred to as polyps.  After a period of time usually consisting of several years, those polyps can become cancerous, resulting in colon cancer.

Colon cancer symptoms are not always obvious it can go undetected for long periods of time.  On the bright side you can inform yourself and learn what the symptoms look and feel like.  Early cancer screening can literally be a life saver up to 90% survival rates, be sure to get checked out by a doctor if you experience one or more of these symptoms.  The symptoms are broken down to two general categories, local and systemic.  Local colon cancer symptoms tend to deal with your bathroom habits and the colon itself.  The most common of those are: changes in bowel movements and their frequency, constipation, diarrhea, bloody stools and the feeling that you cannot completely empty your bowels.  With that also comes abdominal discomfort such as bloating, cramps and pain caused by excess gas.  On the other side of the spectrum are systemic colon cancer symptoms.  Those which affect the entire body: unintentional weight loss, loss of appetite, extreme fatigue, nausea and vomiting.  Systemic symptoms can also cause anemia and jaundice (yellow color to the skin and the whites of the eyes).  Like mentioned before, see a doctor if you suffer from any of the above symptoms.

The exact cause for abnormal cell growth in the colon has yet to be pin pointed; nevertheless there are certain risk factors that have been identified.  Although some of those factors are out of one’s control, others just involve altering or changing lifestyles choices.  The risk factors out of our control are age, a family history of colon cancer, polyps, genetics and a history of bowel disease.  Those we can change are diet, obesity, smoking, and a lack of exercise.  A diet low in fiber and high in fat has been known to increase the possibility of colon cancer.  However, there is a silver lining, one thing that has been linked to colon cancer and something we can actually deal with and treat.

Constipation is when you experience a decrease in the frequency of bowel movements, and when you have difficulty forming or passing stool.  Any slight change in the colon can change its ability to function properly.  The three main causes for constipation are as follows; first, when too much water is absorbed as it passes through the colon, the result is a hard dry stool.  Secondly when changes do occur, the colon loses its ability to coordinate the muscle contractions needed to pass stool, causing it to become “stuck.”  Lastly, is when the colon is blocked off by something such as a tumor.

With that said, when regular stool enters the colon, it is a thick liquid that flows around partial blockages and through narrow areas.  When it passes through the colon and the water is removed, it becomes denser.  It becomes harder to move around those said blockages and narrow areas.  A tumor in the colon or rectum area, makes it difficult almost impossible to pass stool, leading to instant constipation.

There are many ways to relieve constipation.  Nevertheless, there is one almost sure solution to it, fiber.  Fiber sometimes referred to as roughage or bulk is the indigestible portion of plant foods.  Unlike other components our body does not digest fiber. Instead it passes it through the stomach, small intestine, colon, and out of your body.

When you first experience constipation it is absolutely imperative that you deal with it and treated.  Constipation makes the perfect habitat for bacteria to thrive in the colon.  When it goes untreated the bacteria takes over in many cases leading to serious diseases.

Do you want to know more about this topic?  Check out this site for more info on Constipation Relief and Colon Cancer.