Nutrition: Managing Constipation Download PDF, 1.7MB, PDFConstipation happens when your bowels do not move regularly, causing stools to become hard and difficult to pass. It may be a symptom of the cancer itself, a side-effect from chemotherapy which modifies the lining of your intestine and makes you unable to pass motion. It may also be a side effect of the medications used to manage pain. Read more from this poster: Dietary Management for Constipation in Older Adults [Please download the PDF file if you are unable to view the image below.]