Constipation is a symptom (what a patient complains of) not a disease (what a doctor diagnoses). The word "constipated" can mean different things to different people. It can be a feeling that the stools are too hard or that the bowels do not work regularly or easily. Frequency of bowel movements varies widely in the general population. It is actually normal to pass stools between three times a day and once every three days. For most people it is not harmful to be constipated.