Dr Gill Watermeyer presents on Chronic Idiopathic Constipation at the Physician’s Refresher Conference in Cape Town in February 2018. This condition affects 15% of people and has a major impact on quality of life. Patients generally present with a broader constellation of symptoms than textbooks suggest. Dr Watermeyer discusses potential underlying and secondary causes. She provides information lifestyle and diet changes for patients who have no underlying or secondary causes and discusses the various types of laxatives. Dr Watermeyer provides details on chronic dissynergic defecation, the tools available to assess constipation and the treatment available.