Question: Is there a way to tell if I have an impacted bowel? I have been very constipated and been experiencing abdominal pain lately.

Answer: An impacted bowel, or bowel obstruction, can be a serious medical condition that should be diagnosed by a physician. If you have a bowel obstruction some of the symptoms include:

• A feeling of fullness in the abdomen
• Bad breath
• Bloating
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Pain and cramping
• Vomiting

If you are simply constipated, however, you can often find relief by taking an herbal supplement. These can be found online and have the added benefit of cleansing your system while helping you to form a softer stool that is easier to pass.

These systems generally have a combination of herbal remedies including the herb phylum husk which helps sweep foreign materiel, such as hardened feces, out of the body.

They also usually have a fiber supplement and it has been proven that a high fiber diet will assist in relieving constipation.

You should also consider adding more fiber to your diet through the foods you ingest.

If your physician determines you do not have a bowel obstruction and are constipated instead we hope the above information will help to alleviate your symptoms.