Changes in bowel habits

When it comes to bowel habits, some people regularly go once a day, others three times a day and others once every four days! All are considered normal.

However, if your own "normal" routine alters either towards diarrhoea or constipation and remain so for several days, it could be a sign that something serious is causing a change in your bowel habits.

Diarrhoea due to an infection usually settles within a few days, and constipation can be usually be self-treated with laxatives to get the bowel back to its normal routine.

If the problem continues after 10 days, then a doctor must be consulted. Changes in bowel habits like these can be a sign of cancer of the colon (bowel). If there is also blood in the stools and weight loss, then do not delay in seeing your doctor.

This article was published on Mon 7 February 2011