Constipation is difficulty emptying your bowels. Fecal impaction is the buildup of hardened stool in your bowel that you can’t pass. Fecal impaction is a potential complication of chronic constipation ...

Medically reviewed by Robert Burakoff, MD Paradoxical diarrhea occurs when watery stool leaks around a fecal impaction.You ...

A stool that’s stuck halfway out can be a sign of constipation or fecal impaction. Walking around, drinking water, or taking a laxative can often help you pass it. But some signs can point to a ...

Without treatment, long-standing constipation can lead to bowel problems such as anal fissures. Some can lead to serious problems, such as fecal impaction, which could lead to hospitalization, surgery ...