Severe/Chronic Constipation - Primary Care Provider Resource for Spinal Cord Injury

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Primary Care Provider Resource for Spinal Cord Injury Heersink School of Medicine

After spinal cord injury gastric motility is slowed. This results in prolonged transit time. Stool can remain in the colon 2-3 times longer than normal. Water absorption is increased which leads to hard stool and difficulty completing the prescribed bowel program. Constipation is often exacerbated by increased use of prescription medications (especially narcotics), lack of adequate fluid intake, poor compliance with bowel program, inadequate diet, and decreased exercise associated with mobility limitations.

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The University of Alabama at Birmingham Spinal Cord Injury Model System provides this website as an auxiliary resource for the primary care of patients with spinal cord injury.The contents of this website were developed under a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant number 90SIMS0020). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this website do not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.