What are the causes of difficult defecation?

Difficulty in defecation may be caused by various factors, mainly including: 1. Poor dietary habits: Insufficient intake of dietary fiber or inadequate water consumption, leading to reduced and dry stool volume, making defecation difficult. 2. Constipation: Reduced intestinal motility due to various reasons such as lack of physical activity, medication side effects, and mental stress, resulting in prolonged retention of stool in the intestine, excessive absorption of water, and dry, hard stools that are difficult to expel. 3. Intestinal diseases: Such as intestinal obstruction, intestinal polyps, and colorectal cancer, which may obstruct the normal passage of stool and lead to difficulty in defecation. In addition, factors such as aging and decreased physical condition may also affect intestinal motility and contribute to difficulty in defecation.