Dear Doctors: I’m a 77-year-old man and was having trouble with hard stools. My doctor suggested a stool softener. It worked for about a week, but then I developed diarrhea. Over-the-counter diarrhea ...

Water is often dubbed the elixir of life, and for a good reason. It is a crucial component of our bodies, making up about 60 percent of our total body weight. Every cell, tissue and organ in our body ...

Over the years, I have observed how certain conditions such as stool problems provide greater degrees of angst as compared to others within my patient population. I’m sure many of you remember those ...

Julia is the associate news editor for Health, where she edits and publishes news articles on trending health and wellness topics. Her work has been featured in The Heights, an independent student ...

Chronic constipation, if neglected, can cause serious complications like piles, fissures, and impaction.

Blood in your stool may be due to a number of factors, such as straining to poop, anal fissures, and hemorrhoids. Treatment depends on the specific cause of your constipation and bleeding. Many people ...

There’s a useful chart that can help you determine if your stool falls into a healthy or not-so-healthy category.

Without treatment, long-standing constipation can lead to bowel problems such as anal fissures. Some can lead to serious problems, such as fecal impaction, which could lead to hospitalization, surgery ...

Splinting is a technique people may use to relieve constipation. It involves using a finger to press against the perineum or vaginal wall to help move a stool out of the rectum. There is little ...

"Medical Journeys" is a set of clinical resources reviewed by doctors, meant for physicians and other healthcare professionals as well as the patients they serve. Each episode of this journey through ...

Dear Doctors: I’m a 77-year-old man and was having trouble with hard stools. My doctor suggested a stool softener. It worked for about a week, but then I developed diarrhea. Over-the-counter diarrhea ...