Constipation is difficulty passing faeces: infrequent, hard, or strained bowel movements. Common causes include low fibre intake, inadequate fluids, inactivity, ignoring the urge to go, and medications such as opioids and some antidepressants. Dietary management is first-line treatment: gradual increases in fibre from whole grains, legumes, fruit, and vegetables, plenty of water, and regular physical activity. Most cases resolve with these measures, but persistent constipation, especially with bleeding, weight loss, or pain, needs medical investigation to exclude obstruction or colorectal disease. It is among the commonest digestive complaints and usually the most fixable.