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It might not be "just" constipation

Obstructed Defecation Syndrome (ODS) 

ODS is the inability to evacuate the rectum and complete bowel movements normally, causing stools to feel ‘stuck’ and not completely emptied.

What is ODS?

Common Symptoms

  • You may be straining, squatting, leaning over, or even pressing with finger around the vagina or rectum to assist with stool emptying (“splinting”)

  • Stool shape can alter, often becoming narrower or taking on a ribbon-like appearance, which may indicate a constricted pathway in the rectum or anus.

  • Involuntary leakage or seepage of stool or mucus from the rectum is a symptom of ODS, which can be a result of incomplete evacuation or a dysfunction in the rectal sphincter muscles.

  • Patients may feel a sense of pressure in the rectum, discomfort, or even sharp pain during and after bowel movements, which could be related to the excessive straining or internal rectal prolapse.

  • Chronic difficulty in passing stools or less frequent bowel movements are common in ODS. This can be a result of a dysfunction in the coordination of the pelvic muscles and the colon.

Doctor Checking a Form

Do You Have ODS?

Do you feel you need to strain too hard to have a bowel movement?
Do you feel you have not completely emptied your bowels at the end of a bowel movement?
Does part of your bowel ever pass through the rectum and bulge outside during or after a bowel movement?

women are affected by ODS​

1 in 5

women reporting other pelvic floor disorders have ODS​

3 in 5

women with constipation have ODS.

1 in 3

You are not alone.