Hot and humid weather can cause a person to sweat. This can lead to dehydration, which is a common cause of constipation.

Humidity is the term for the amount of water vapor that is in the air. If there is a lot of water vapor in the air, then the humidity will be high.

If the weather is hot and humid, it may be difficult to stay cool. When a person is hot, it can cause them to sweat more, and they may become dehydrated.

In this article, we outline how humid weather may cause constipation. We also discuss how to treat constipation and when someone should consider speaking with a healthcare professional.

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Hot and humid weather can cause excessive sweating. In turn, this causes a person to lose water through their skin.

If a person sweats excessively, it may cause them to become dehydrated.

Dehydration occurs when the water that a person loses from their body exceeds the amount of water they take in.

If a person experiences dehydration, they may develop the following symptoms:

Constipation is another possible symptom of dehydration.

If a person has constipation, they may have fewer than three bowel movements during a week. Other possible symptoms of constipation include:

Below are some ways a person can help treat constipation.

Dietary changes

A person may wish to change their diet to try and treat constipation. Certain foods can help make stools softer and easier to pass.

They can try eating more foods that are high in fiber. This is because fiber can increase the weight and size of stools and soften them. This can all make stools easier to pass, preventing constipation.

Drinking plenty of water can also help treat constipation. Drinking water helps fiber to work.

If a person has constipation, they should also avoid eating a diet high in any of the following:

Over the counter medications

In some cases, a person may wish to take over-the-counter medications to treat constipation.

A medical professional may recommend certain laxatives to help treat constipation, including:

Healthcare professionals only recommend stimulant laxatives for short-term use, as long-term use may cause more serious problems and even make constipation worse. People should seek advice from a medical professional if they feel they need to take laxatives frequently to have a bowel movement.

Lifestyle changes

There are certain lifestyle changes that a person can try to help treat their constipation. These include:

  • exercising regularly
  • trying to have bowel movements at the same time every day to help become more regular, such as around 15–45 minutes after meals
  • taking enough time to have a bowel movement
  • going to the bathroom as soon as they feel the urge to have a bowel movement
  • trying to relax muscles when having a bowel movement
  • placing their feet on a footstool when having a bowel movement to increase comfort
  • discussing any medications or supplements that may be making the constipation worse with a doctor

A person should contact their doctor if they experience symptoms of constipation that do not go away after making lifestyle changes.

If a person has a family history of colon or rectal cancer, they should speak to their doctor if they experience persistent constipation.

A person should seek immediate medical help from a doctor if they experience constipation and any of the following symptoms:

In some cases, constipation may indicate a bowel obstruction, which is a blockage in the large or small intestines. This can happen for a number of reasons and can cause serious complications.

Other symptoms of a blocked bowel include:

If a person thinks they may have a bowel obstruction, they should seek emergency medical care.

Hot and humid weather can cause a person to sweat, which can lead to dehydration. Dehydration is a possible cause of constipation.

People can take steps to treat and prevent constipation. For example, a person can try eating more fiber and drinking more water. They may also want to speak with a doctor about using certain medications, such as fiber supplements, stool softeners, and osmotic agents.

A person should contact a doctor if constipation does not go away with self-care or occurs alongside symptoms like rectal bleeding, unintentional weight loss, and fever.

Additionally, if someone believes they have a blocked bowel, they should seek emergency medical attention. Signs of this include constipation, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and an enlarged abdomen.