Constipation is very common, but always encountering it does not mean understanding it, and there can even be many misconceptions. For example, many people think that constipation is bad for the body, and that long-term constipation can cause intestinal cancer. Many people think that it is normal to have a smooth bowel movement once a day, and that constipation is when you don’t go to the bathroom for two days and have to pull out very hard. In fact, this is a misunderstanding. There is no strict medical rule on the number of times you have to poop, from 3 times a week to 3 times a day is normal. As for the problem of time-consuming and laborious pooping, it also depends on whether it is occasional or long-term. In general terms, true constipation is a condition in which bowel movements are always both laborious and time-consuming and are significantly less frequent (less than 3 times a week). However, even if it fits this description, it may not be constipation. For example, it is normal to have a bowel movement only once every two or three days because of hot weather, busy work, heavy sweating and insufficient hydration, and very dry stools. It is normal to have constipation when you have colon cancer, but not constipation that causes colon cancer. At present, we believe that colorectal cancer is the result of a combination of environmental factors and genetic factors, which are the real causes of colorectal cancer. Environmental factors are mainly poor diet, such as long-term high-fat, low-fiber, low-calcium and high phosphorus diet, etc. Genetic factors are better understood, as studies show that children of colorectal cancer patients are 2 to 4 times more likely to develop colorectal cancer than the general population. In addition, patients with colorectal adenoma, inflammatory bowel disease, chronic bacterial infection of the intestine, and chronic parasitic infection all have a higher chance of developing colorectal cancer than the normal population. It is worth noting that early symptoms of colorectal cancer are not serious and most of them can be relieved after taking medications or other treatments, but if it is allowed to develop, constipation can last for months or even years. If you are really constipated for a long time, and there are also physical alarms such as loss of weight, blood in stool, anemia, etc., you must go for a checkup in time.