Constipation is a common gastrointestinal condition in which the ability to pass stool is impaired, resulting in difficulty with defecation, infrequent defecation, or both. Constipation in adults is considered chronic when symptoms persist for at least three months.
Constipation is commonly categorized as either primary or secondary. Primary (idiopathic) constipation has no obvious cause, while secondary constipation does have an identifiable cause, like a disease or medication side effect. In addition to being primary or secondary, constipation can be classified into subtypes based on certain characteristics (e.g., clinical features, apparent cause, etc.).