As you might imagine, constipation is quite common. Like headaches and
colds, almost everyone will experience a bout at some point. In the vast
majority of cases, these episodes don’t last long, go away on their own and
may not require any treatment. You should also know that occasionally
going a day or two without a bowel movement is not that unusual and
usually does not require a visit to a doctor or warrant a diagnosis of clinical
constipation – though it’s certainly common to describe the experience
as “being a little constipated.” Indeed, there’s no established frequency of
bowel movements that separates healthy from unhealthy. People vary.
Some people go two or three times per day like clockwork while others
have a bowel movement only once per day or once every two days. In general,
doctors start getting concerned if your frequency drops below three
bowel movements a week, especially if that represents a change from your
previous pattern and if it goes on for two weeks or longer.