Constipation means having difficulty passing stools (poo). It is very common, affecting people of all ages from babies to children and adolescents to adults. It can be short term or it can be chronic.

The simplest treatments are to drink more water, get more exercise and changes to the diet to increase high fibre foods like prunes, green leafy vegetables and grains. There are also medicines (laxatives) that can be bought from your pharmacist, or prescribed by a doctor.

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