Constipation
Doctors speak of constipation when a person has fewer than three bowel movements a week. Besides feeling blocked, people often suffer from other constipation symptoms such as flatulence, hard stool, and pain when passing stools.
A sluggish digestion is one of the main constipation causes. When food moves too slowly through our digestive tract, too much water is absorbed from the waste. This causes the stools to become dry and solid in our colon. The hard consistency makes it difficult to push the stool out of the body.
This phenomenon has been with us for a long period. The first known records of treatment for a sluggish bowel come from Egypt and date back to 2000 B.C.
Nowadays, constipation has become a common disease. One in four Canadians has symptoms, and some 30% of the inhabitants of industrial nations suffer chronically or occasionally from it.
In general, women are affected twice as often as men. While it is a frequent complaint in older people, constipation in children is a common but mostly temporary problem.
How often are normal bowel movements?
A healthy bowel movement frequency is somewhere between 3 times a day and 3 times a week. The wide range is due to diverse individual factors.
It also greatly depends on a person's diet. The higher the fibre intake through food, the greater the amount of stool becomes. This leads to a more frequent urge to have a bowel movement.
Usually, the bowel does not move strongly enough and this is referred to as a sluggish bowel.
Three types of obstipation can be distinguished:
- Colonic
This is caused by the intestine (colon). Mostly it is a sluggish bowel or a lack of movement or mobility of the intestinal muscles. Other reasons can be gastrointestinal diseases. - Anorectal
Anorectal obstipation is caused by a change or disorder of the rectum or anus. Causes for constipation include hemorrhoids, constriction of the anus, or thickening of the sphincter. - Idiopathic
No physical causes can be identified. Idiopathic obstipation is usually the consequence of a changed diet or environment. The body reacts to the new situation with transient sluggishness of the bowel.
The following may cause a sluggish bowel:
- Underlying diseases, such as:
- Intestinal inflammation
- Underactive thyroid
- Psychological disorders
- Side effects of a variety of medications (such as antidepressants, sleeping tablets, tranquillizers or iron preparations)
- Impaired function of the muscles, being bed-ridden
- Stress
- Change of everyday habits (travel)
- Lack of:
- Fibre in the diet
- Fluid
- Exercise
How to relieve constipation?
First, get the cause evaluated by your healthcare provider. Then, review your dietary habits.
A diet rich in fibre is particularly important for good digestion. Eat plenty of fruit, vegetables, and whole-grain foods for constipation relief! Dried fruit can support you as well as fresh juices.
In addition, fibre supplements can help to get the recommended amount of 25 to 30 grams of fibre per day. The fibres act as a stool softener and increase stool frequency, especially in people suffering from constipation.
Foods to avoid when constipated include dairy products and eggs, processed or fried foods, red meat, and sweets.
Drink plenty - soft stool needs fluids!
Drinking enough fluids is also important for constipated toddlers or babies. Switching from breastfeeding to solid foods can cause a change in stools and bowel movements. Adding a small amount of water or 100% fruit juice once a day can help with your baby’s constipation.
Other common causes for constipation in children include early toilet training or a diet too heavy in sweets or processed foods. Simple dietary changes and drinking more water provide relief in most cases.
Take plenty of exercise - muscle activity also stimulates the intestinal muscles!
In general, but especially in older people, getting up and moving can be very effective in improving constipation.
Avoid stress or practice relaxation exercises to reduce stress!
If our body is in stress mode, it has less energy available for digestion! Also, research showed that stress can affect bowel movements and the gut flora.
If these general measures are not successful, constipation remedies can occasionally be taken for acute constipation. There are different types of laxatives.
Filling and swelling agents such as ispaghula husk ensure an increase in stool volume. These bulk-forming laxatives swell in the large intestine. This ensures further transport and ultimately stimulates bowel movement. These laxatives are well tolerated and support intestinal activity.
Osmotic laxatives work differently. They draw water into the large intestine, which makes the stool softer and easier to pass. Many of them also have active intestinal activity which facilitates bowel movement.
The danger with osmotic laxatives is that prolonged use can have a detrimental effect on the body's fluid and mineral balance. Also, there is a risk that the intestine will become used to its effect and its intrinsic activity will be reduced. At worst, chronic constipation or dependency may develop.
Therefore, osmotic laxatives should not be taken for longer than 1 week.
Emollient laxatives soften the stool by increasing the passage of fluid into it. These stool softeners make it easier to pass the stool.
Stimulant laxatives stimulate the nerves that control the muscles that line your gut. This helps to speed up the bowel movement.
A herbal stimulating laxative is Cascara bark. It is obtained from a tree called Rhamnus purshiana, also known as Cascara buckthorn. This plant was already used as a laxative by the Native Americans. It can help treat constipation in the short term.
How long does it take for laxatives to work?
Most oral laxatives do not provide immediate constipation relief. They usually work after 6 to 12 hours, depending on the type of laxative. Oral saline laxatives, a type of osmotic laxative, can produce a bowel movement in 30 minutes to 6 hours.
What should be considered when taking laxatives?
Laxatives should only be taken when needed. Before using laxatives, you should always carefully read the patient information leaflet that comes with the medication.
If you feel unsure or have questions, talk to your healthcare provider. Together, you can discuss which may be the best laxative for constipation for you.
Also, speak with your doctor if you don’t feel any improvement after taking laxatives for a week.
