The etiology of constipation in the elderly is relatively complex, and it is related to factors such as physiological function decline, poor dietary habits, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, intestinal cancer and so on. 1. Decline in physiological function: with age, the elderly will experience atrophy of the gastrointestinal mucosa and reduced secretion of digestive juices in various organs, so the gastrointestinal function of the elderly will weaken, thus resulting in constipation. 2. bad dietary habits: with age, physical activity will gradually reduce, gastrointestinal peristalsis will also be reduced. If the defecation habit is bad or improper diet, vitamin and fiber intake is low, can cause constipation, especially long-term bedridden patients, more likely to appear the problem. 3. Diabetes mellitus: the elderly is a high prevalence of diabetes mellitus, which can cause metabolic dysfunction, leading to decreased digestive function, slow gastrointestinal motility, can also lead to constipation. 4. Irritable bowel syndrome: constipation in the elderly may be irritable bowel syndrome, which will lead to gastrointestinal dysfunction, and the symptoms of constipation will appear in the early stage, and the feces will be in the form of sheep’s dung or fine rod, usually accompanied by abdominal pain or bloating. 5. Bowel cancer: due to the compression of tumor, it will lead to intestinal disorders, and the earliest change of bowel habit will occur, including constipation. With the development of the disease, mucus stool, blood stool, abdominal mass, emaciation, fatigue and other symptoms may appear. Constipation in the elderly is a very complex problem, often taking into account a number of factors, so if you want a systematic diagnosis and treatment, it is recommended to go to the hospital in a timely manner.