Constipation meaning in Urdu is qabz (قبض): passing stool less than three times a week, or passing hard, dry stool with straining or a feeling that the bowel has not emptied completely. In English, “qabz” is simply constipation, and long-standing qabz is called chronic constipation (purani qabz). Most qabz is caused by low fibre, too little water and inactivity, but constipation that is new, severe or comes with bleeding or weight loss needs medical attention.
Key points
- Qabz in English = constipation; purani qabz = chronic constipation (lasting 3 months or more).
- It is about hardness and difficulty, not only frequency. Daily stool can still be constipation if it is hard and painful.
- Low fibre, low water, long sitting hours, some medicines and thyroid problems are common causes.
- Blood in stool, weight loss or new constipation after 45 are warning signs.
Table of Contents
- Constipation Meaning in Urdu and Related Words
- What Is a Normal Bowel Habit?
- Symptoms of Qabz
- Types of Constipation
- Why Does Qabz Happen?
- Constipation in Children, Pregnancy and Older Adults
- Complications of Long-Term Qabz
- When to See a Doctor
- Urdu Mein Khulasa
- Frequently Asked Questions
Constipation Meaning in Urdu and Related Words
| English | Urdu | Roman Urdu |
|---|---|---|
| Constipation | قبض | Qabz / kabz |
| Chronic constipation | دائمی / پرانی قبض | Daimi / purani qabz |
| Bowel movement | رفع حاجت / پاخانہ | Rafa-e-hajat / pakhana |
| Straining | زور لگانا | Zor lagana |
| Laxative | جلاب | Julab |
| Fibre | ریشہ | Resha |
| Piles (haemorrhoids) | بواسیر | Bawaseer |
So if someone asks “qabz in English”, the answer is constipation; “kabz” is the same word with a different spelling.
What Is a Normal Bowel Habit?
A normal bowel habit ranges from three times a day to three times a week. What matters more is that the stool is soft, formed and passes without pain or long straining. Doctors often use the Bristol Stool Chart: types 1 and 2 (hard lumps or a lumpy sausage) suggest constipation, types 3 and 4 are ideal, and types 6 and 7 are loose.
Symptoms of Qabz
- Fewer than three bowel movements a week
- Hard, dry or lumpy stool
- Straining or sitting on the toilet for a long time
- Feeling that the bowel is not completely empty
- Bloating, lower abdominal discomfort and loss of appetite
- Needing to press on the abdomen or use a finger to help pass stool
Bloating and qabz are closely linked. Gas builds up behind stored stool, which is why many people with constipation also complain of pait phoolna (bloating).
Types of Constipation
| Type | What it means | Typical example |
|---|---|---|
| Acute (short-term) | Lasts days to a few weeks | Travel, Ramadan routine change, a new medicine |
| Chronic (purani qabz) | Present for 3 months or more | Low-fibre diet, IBS, thyroid problem |
| Slow-transit | The bowel moves stool slowly | Few urges, stool hard by the time it arrives |
| Outlet (defaecation) problem | Muscles of the pelvic floor do not relax properly | Urge is felt but stool will not come out |
| IBS-C | Irritable bowel syndrome with constipation | Pain and bloating that ease after passing stool |
Why Does Qabz Happen?
Lifestyle causes
- Low fibre: white flour roti, naan, rice and meat-heavy meals with few vegetables and fruit
- Too little water, especially in summer and while fasting
- Sitting all day and little walking
- Ignoring the urge because of work, school or unclean toilets
- Too much tea in place of water, and very little breakfast
Medical causes
- Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) and diabetes
- Medicines: iron and calcium tablets, some pain-killers (codeine, tramadol), antacids with aluminium, some anti-depressants
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Painful anal conditions such as fissures and piles, which make people hold back stool
- Less commonly, a narrowing or growth in the colon, which is why new constipation in older adults must be checked
Constipation in Children, Pregnancy and Older Adults
Children often become constipated during potty training, when starting cow’s milk or when they avoid school toilets. Painful stool leads to holding back, which makes the next stool harder. Infants who strain but pass soft stool are usually normal.
Pregnancy slows the bowel because of hormones and iron tablets. Fibre, water, walking and doctor-approved stool softeners such as ispaghol are usually safe.
Older adults take more medicines, move less and drink less water, so qabz is common. However, a new change in bowel habit after 45 should be investigated with colonoscopy, not just treated with laxatives.
Complications of Long-Term Qabz
- Piles (bawaseer) from repeated straining
- Anal fissure: a small tear causing sharp pain and bright red blood
- Faecal impaction: hard stool stuck in the rectum, sometimes with leakage of watery stool around it
- Rectal prolapse in severe, long-standing cases
If you want to know how qabz is treated step by step, from diet to medicines, read our detailed guide on qabz ka ilaj.
When to See a Doctor
Book a visit with a gastroenterologist if you have:
- Blood in or on the stool, or black stool
- Unexplained weight loss, anaemia or fever
- Constipation that started recently after the age of 45
- Severe abdominal pain, vomiting or inability to pass gas
- Constipation alternating with diarrhoea
- No improvement after 3–4 weeks of more fibre, water and activity
- A family history of colon cancer or inflammatory bowel disease
Dr. Omer Hassaan Aftab Ahmad sees patients with chronic constipation at G-8 Markaz, Islamabad. The visit includes a careful history, examination and, when needed, blood tests, thyroid tests and colonoscopy. Learn more on our constipation treatment page.
Urdu Mein Khulasa
قبض کو انگریزی میں کانسٹیپیشن کہتے ہیں۔ ہفتے میں تین بار سے کم پاخانہ آنا، سخت پاخانہ، زور لگانا اور پیٹ صاف نہ ہونے کا احساس قبض کی علامات ہیں۔ تین مہینے سے زیادہ رہنے والی قبض کو دائمی یا پرانی قبض کہتے ہیں۔ کم پانی پینا، کم سبزیاں اور پھل کھانا، زیادہ بیٹھنا اور کچھ دوائیں قبض کی عام وجوہات ہیں۔ اگر پاخانے میں خون آئے، وزن کم ہو رہا ہو یا پینتالیس سال کے بعد نئی قبض شروع ہو تو معدے کے ماہر ڈاکٹر سے ضرور معائنہ کروائیں۔
Frequently Asked Questions
What is qabz called in English?
Qabz (قبض), also written kabz, is called constipation in English. Long-standing qabz is called chronic constipation.
How many days without a bowel movement is constipation?
Going more than three days without a bowel movement, or having fewer than three a week, is generally considered constipation, especially if the stool is hard or difficult to pass.
Can constipation cause gas and bloating?
Yes. Stool that stays longer in the colon is fermented by bacteria, producing gas and a bloated, heavy feeling.
Is constipation dangerous?
Usually not, but long-term straining can cause piles and fissures, and new constipation with bleeding or weight loss can be a sign of a more serious bowel problem that needs investigation.
Does tea cause constipation?
Strong tea in large amounts, especially when it replaces water, can make stool harder for some people. Keeping tea moderate and drinking enough water helps.
Which doctor treats constipation?
A gastroenterologist treats chronic constipation. Children are first seen by a paediatrician, and anal fissures or severe piles may also involve a surgeon.
Conclusion
Constipation, or qabz, means hard, infrequent or difficult stools. It is very common and usually responds to more fibre, water and movement, but it should never be ignored when it is new, persistent or comes with warning signs. If qabz is affecting your daily life, consult Dr. Omer Hassaan Aftab Ahmad, gastroenterologist in Islamabad, on 0336 5993116 or book online.
