Ignoring this essential bodily function can lead to several complications that significantly affect your quality of life.

Fecal impaction vs. constipation Constipation is when you have bowel movements less often than expected, or they're hard, dry, or tough to pass. Long-term constipation can turn into fecal ...

A few years ago, her bowel movements became increasingly frequent ... but I knew something was wrong, so I went to the ...

or immediate need to have a bowel movement. It is separate from incontinence, but it can similarly lead to bowel accidents. It often occurs alongside other symptoms, such as abdominal pain ...

One such instance is straining during bowel movements. While it might seem like a minor issue, the consequences can be more significant than you think. Straining can lead to a variety of health ...

"Bowel movements go in cycles for many individuals, like it's part of their rhythm," Dr. Felice Schnoll-Sussman, a gastroenterologist at Weill Cornell Medicine, tells TODAY.com. And most of us ...

Brian Mastroianni is a health and science journalist based in New York. His work has been published by The Atlantic, The Paris Review, CBS News, The TODAY Show, Barron's PENTA, Engadget and ...

Catching symptoms early — such as bleeding from your bottom, bloating, losing weight without trying, tummy pain and changes in your bowel movements — could be life-saving. If you find ...

Constipation is a common problem among children of all ages. It’s uncomfortable for children and concerning for parents. If ...

“‘Normal’ bowel movements can be from as little as three times per week to three times a day,” says Alex Glover, a nutritionist from Holland & Barret. While big changes in bowel habits or ...