This episode's going to get real.

這集會很寫實。

So... be prepared for that.

所以…做好心理準備。

Let's start here: Nobody likes to be constipated.

我們先從這裡切入好了：沒有人喜歡便秘。

Sometimes because of things like diet or stress, you don't poop for a little while.

有時候是因為飲食或者壓力，你會有一小段時間不大便。

It happens to me whenever I go on vacation and I'm like, "why?! "

每次我去度假都會這樣，到底為什麼啊？！

"I'm supposed to be having a good time! This is not fun!"

我應該要享受這段好時光的！這樣一點都不好！

Thankfully, it's usually fixable with coffee or and a bunch of fiber, have a couple bran muffins!

幸好這種情況通常可以透過喝咖啡或者攝取很多纖維素，吃些麩皮馬芬！

But if that little while turns into a long time, and you just stop pooping entirely...

但如果這一小段時間變成一大段時間，然後你就再也不大便了…

Things can get pretty ugly.

事情可能會變得有點難看。

Poop is your body's way of getting rid of undigested or undigestible food and other wastes that your body produces.

大便是身體排除無法消化、消化不了或其他體內產生的廢物的方式。

After the stuff travels through your small and large intestine, it ends up at the rectum, which stretches and sends a signal to your brain, "it's time to go!"

在這些東西經過了你的小腸和大腸，最終會來到直腸，在這裡伸展並傳送訊息給大腦說：「該出發囉！」

Sometimes, though, things can stop chugging along as nature intended.

雖然有時候，這些東西會自然地停止向前。

That's where constipation comes in, and it can be caused by anything from holding it in too long to a lack of exercise.

而這就是便秘的發生，它可以因任何事情導致，舉凡憋太久到缺乏運動。

Some diseases can also make your intestines struggle to propel the poop along.

有些疾病也會使你的腸道難以排出糞便。

Parkinson's or inflammatory bowel diseases, for example, can prevent the muscles and nerves in the colon from working properly, so it can't pass along feces or gas.

例如帕金森氏症和發炎性腸道疾病，這類疾病會使結腸內的肌肉和神經無法正常運作，因此糞便和氣體無法排出。

In severe cases, that can cause a megacolon, and that's the actual name for this thing.

某些嚴重個案中，這樣的症狀會造成「巨結腸」，這種病徵的正名。

It's an abnormally large or swollen colon, which can create a fecal backup.

它是造成糞便堆積的異常性腫大的結腸。

Regardless of what causes it, though, nothing good happens when your poop gets stuck in your body.

但不管是什麼原因造成的，當你的大便卡在你身體裡時都不會有好事發生。

When it hangs out in the colon, more and more water is sucked out of it.

當這些便便卡在直腸內，糞便中越來越多水被吸收。

That makes it harder, which, in turn, makes it more difficult for your body to push out.

這會使排便變得更難，也因此身體更難排出這些糞便。

And when you do try, you have to push harder.

而當你試著將它們排出，你要更用力去大。

That strain can cause hemorrhoids, which are inflamed veins in your rectum, or anal fissures, which are small tears in the lining of the anus.

這樣的壓力會造成痔瘡，就是直腸內血管發炎，或造成肛裂，肛門口小小的撕裂傷。

All this sounds so fun!

這些聽起來好好玩呀！

If you don't go for a long, long, long time, your poop gets too hard and dry, it can also cause something called a fecal impaction: a hardened mass of stool that can't move at all.

如果你過了好久好久還是沒有排便，你的大便會變得太硬太乾而造成「腸堵塞」：就是完全無法移動的硬化糞便。

Those masses can cause nausea and ulcers, and press on the bladder, causing urinary incontinence.

這種腫塊可以造成噁心和潰瘍，並壓迫到膀胱，造成尿失禁。

They can even cause the colon to perforate or rupture which is life-threateningly dangerous and requires surgery.

它們甚至可能導致結腸穿孔或破裂，這會危及生命，需要透過手術進行治療。

And in really, really, really rare cases, things can get, goodness.

在非常非常非常少數的個案，事情會變得… 喔我的天。

A severe fecal impaction can actually make intestines contract in reverse.

非常嚴重的腸阻塞會造成腸道反向蠕動。

In an effort to get things moving, they'll contract and relax, which, unfortunately, can send their contents in the wrong direction.

為了要讓腸道的東西移動，它們會收縮，而不幸地是，會使東西往反方向推。

They're just tying to save your life!

它們只是想救你一命！

Liquid from the small intestine backs up into the stomach, and causes the unfortunately named condition: fecal vomiting.

小腸內的液體會回流到胃中，導致一個很不幸的狀況：嘔糞。

It's not quite as nasty as it sounds, like, it's not fully formed stools or anything, but also definitely not pleasant!

其實沒有聽起來這麼噁心啦，它並不是任何成形的條狀物，但也絕對不是什麼令人愉悅的東西！

Thankfully, fecal impactions can be broken up with laxatives, or can be broken up manually by a doctor.

幸好，腸阻塞可以藉由瀉藥了解決，或者透過醫生來導通腸道。

If someone is chronically constipated, or develop fecal impactions, their intestinal muscles might also weaken over time, making it more difficult to regulate the pooping process on their own.

如果有人正經歷病理性便秘，或正在發展成腸堵塞，他們的腸道肌肉會隨著時間而萎縮，使這些人更難自主規律排便。

So make sure to eat plenty of fiber, don't hold it for too long, and if you're not pooping regularly, go talk to a doctor, because the alternatives.... no!

所以，請務必攝取足夠的纖維素，還有不要憋太久大便，如果你沒有規律上廁所，拜託去看醫生，不然…喔不！

Thanks for asking, and thanks to our patrons on Patreon who keep answers like this coming!

謝謝你們提出那個問題，也謝謝我們在 Patreon 上的資助夥伴們讓我們回答這樣的問題！

Cause look, sponsors aren't going to sponsor content like this!

因為聽著… 贊助商才不會贊助這樣的內容呢！

If you want to join us for a monthly Google Hangout, or just support the show, you can go to patreon.com/scishow.

如果你想要加入我們每個月的 Google 會議或單純支持這個節目，你可以上 patreon.com/scishow 來找我們喔！