The human body is designed to function smoothly, but sometimes we unknowingly put it under unnecessary stress. One such instance is straining during bowel movements. While it might seem like a minor ...

Some toddlers find learning to pass stool without a diaper challenging. They may have had a large or painful bowel movement previously and be afraid to defecate again, so they begin withholding stool, ...

“Straining really hard during a bowel movement can activate the vagus [nerve],” says Ellen M. Stein, MD, associate professor of medicine in the division of gastroenterology and hepatology at Rutgers ...