Constipation is difficulty emptying your bowels. Fecal impaction is the buildup of hardened stool in your bowel that you can’t pass. Fecal impaction is a potential complication of chronic constipation ...

Lindsay Curtis is a health & medical writer in South Florida. She worked as a communications professional for health nonprofits and the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of ...

The term fecal impaction refers to a collection of hardened stools in the colon or rectum. This obstruction can make it difficult for a person to pass stools and may cause symptoms such as abdominal ...

According to gastroenterologists, holding it in can have consequences.

Qin Rao, MD, is a board-certified physician based in New York City. He currently works as a gastroenterologist and hepatologist at Manhattan Gastroenterology. Symptoms of impacted bowels can include ...

Poop that gets stuck halfway out is typically a sign of constipation but may indicate a more serious problem. Some people find that adjusting their position or drinking water will get the stool moving ...

Paradoxical diarrhea happens when loose, watery stool finds a way around hardened, impacted stool in your colon and leaks from your anus. Also called overflow diarrhea, it’s often a symptom of a type ...