India, April 5 -- Constipation is a common and often overlooked problem, particularly among the elderly. It is not a disease, and is defined as having a bowel movement fewer than three times a week. It is often accompanied by straining, pain, hard, lumpy stools, feelings of incomplete emptying, and, in the elderly, urinary retention. Using fingers to extract stools, enemas, or laxatives is often tried by sufferers. Prolonged, untreated constipation can lead to piles, anal fissures, faecal impaction, and rectal prolapse. Several medical conditions can mimic constipation. It usually results from low fibre intake, dehydration, lack of activity, ignoring bowel urges, or underlying medical conditions. Management involves a high fibre diet, dri...