Giant migrating contractions (GMCs) are powerful waves of colonic movement that propel intestinal contents toward the anus and are essential for defecation. Yet despite their physiological importance, ...

Defecation urgency in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a common and devastating symptom, involves sensory as well as emotional components, suggesting that the brain plays as much of a role in urgency ...

According to gastroenterologists, holding it in can have consequences.

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 ...

Larissa Banitt is a registered nurse who combines her English and Nursing degrees in writing health content. She has worked on the floor on a medical-surgical unit and currently works providing care ...

Medically reviewed by Qin Rao, MDMedically reviewed by Qin Rao, MD Rectal cancer is a type of cancer that affects the rectum, which is the last part of your digestive system. When you eat, food moves ...

Many people experience itching in the anus area i.e. in the rectum. Some people experience it more frequently while some ...

Everyone has had that moment: You finally get to the bathroom after holding it in, and the sense of relief is immediate. Maybe even a little satisfying. Pooping is a vital process that keeps our ...

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 ...