Primary constipation is the medical term given to constipation without an obvious cause. It is also known as idiopathic constipation or functional constipation. There are several subtypes of primary constipation, classified according to certain gastrointestinal characteristics:
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Normal-transit constipation: Stool moves through the colon at a normal speed. This is sometimes found to be the most common subtype.
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Slow-transit constipation: Stool moves through the colon slowly.
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Defecation disorder: The muscles of the pelvic floor used for defecation don’t function well.
Irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C), meanwhile, is generally classified as a separate entity from primary constipation, despite having no obvious cause.