The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) released an update on April 27, 2026, providing new guidelines for passing stool.
The AGA news release highlighted how a healthier bowel movement can help avoid hemorrhoids, a common condition that causes rectal blood vessels to swell up, causing itching, pain, and bleeding.
Hemorrhoids, or piles, which are caused by overstraining and frequent constipation, among other reasons, affect around 50% of adults by age 50.
