Medication use is an especially common cause of constipation and hard stools for older adults. It may be more likely that you'll experience hard, stuck stool if you've been using laxatives ...

This causes hard, dry stool that makes it difficult to poop. IBS and IBD People with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD)—including Crohn's disease and ulcerative ...

Persistent nausea or vomiting. Sudden changes in bowel habits. Hard, painful stools that cause tears or hemorrhoids. Dependence on laxatives. Underlying health conditions like diabetes ...

Examples of osmotic laxatives include milk of magnesia (which also softens stools ... it causes no fluid or electrolyte shifts, [3] which makes it safer for use among older adults.