Constipation is characterized by hard stools that are difficult to pass and by infrequent bowel movements. Some people prefer to treat their occasional constipation with laxatives, but others prefer to try more-natural cures to soften their stools.

If you suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, it often means that you should forego certain foods and drinks to avoid exacerbating the symptoms. Coffee is one of the drinks professionals commonly recommend to avoid, primarily because of its caffeine content.

Overactive bladder, also known as OAB occurs when your bladder is unable to function normally. An overactive bladder causes a sudden urge to urinate and may result in an involuntary loss of urine.

Constipation can impact nearly everyone, including children, and coping with the discomfort is often stressful for a child.

Taking too many laxatives can put your health at risk. If you're taking excess laxatives for any reason, including chronic constipation or in misguided efforts to purge, cleanse your body or lose weight, serious complications are possible.

Many people with IBS, or irritable bowel syndrome, have to suffer and pay the price when trying to eat healthier by including more vegetables into their diet. Unfortunately, many vegetables contain short-chain fermentable carbohydrates, such as fructose, fructans, sorbitol and mannitol.

Burning when you urinate can range from annoying to truly painful. The medical term for burning on urination is dysuria. Although dysuria is a symptom rather than a disease, it is not something you should ignore, as several potentially serious conditions could cause dysuria.

Stress and foods are the main triggers for people with irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, which can experience a bloated belly, flatulence, abdominal pain and cramps, constipation, diarrhea or alternating constipation and diarrhea. The trigger foods with IBS can vary from one person to another.

Underlying medical conditions cause distended bladder, a condition in which there's an inability to urinate even when the urge is felt. Anything that blocks the urethra from allowing the urine to flow, such as an enlarged prostate or kidney stones, can result in a distended bladder.

People who have gluten sensitivity -- either a simple intolerance to the gluten proteins found in wheat, barley and rye or the more serious autoimmune condition celiac disease -- suffer from a wide array of health problems that range far beyond their digestive systems.

A variety of factors can affect the look or odor of your urine. Sometimes your urine can give indications that you have other health problems, such as dehydration, liver disorders, urinary tract infections or potential toxins that are in your body.

Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a digestive disorder that affects about 20 percent of adults in the United States, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders.