
“I tell people that their normal may not be my normal or the next person’s normal. When it comes to treating patients with constipation (infrequent bowel movements or dry, hard stools), Dr. Constipation-defining ‘normal’ is not so easy Deutsch and her colleagues share some of the GI issues they frequently treat and suggest steps you can take at home-and explain when you should seek advice from a physician. “Their problem is a lot more common than they think it is, and we try to normalize things.”īelow, Dr. “People often feel like they are the only person with this problem, and that is never true,” she says.

Deutsch quickly makes is how common these issues are.

It allows them to take a breath and say, ‘OK, this is what is going on.’ They open up and ask me questions.”Īnother point Dr. I feel cool and comfortable talking about it, and they shouldn’t worry. “I frequently tell people that I play around in poop all day. This is so disgusting,’” says Jill Deutsch, MD, a Yale Medicine specialist in functional GI disorders. “An overwhelming number of people who come into my office to talk about a GI problem say, ‘Oh my God, I am so embarrassed.

If the thought of talking to your doctor-or anyone-about constipation, diarrhea, bloating, hemorrhoids, and other similar issues gives you stomach cramps, you aren’t alone.īut if that discomfort about discussing your discomfort means you aren’t seeking care, Yale Medicine gastrointestinal (GI) specialists have a message for you: They’ve heard it all before, and there’s nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to bodily functions.
