what is the treatment of constipation?

What is the best thing to relieve constipation?

Your doctor may recommend the following changes to relieve your constipation:

• Increase your fiber intake. Adding fiber to your diet increases the weight of your stool and speeds its passage through your intestines. ...
• Exercise most days of the week. Physical activity increases muscle activity in your intestines. ...
• Don't ignore the urge to have a bowel movement. ...

How to make yourself poop immediately and relieve constipation?

• If you can eat peanut butter, do. The paste will dry your mouth and help you take in some important sips of water.
• Try iced water with a straw and some tangy Tazo passion tea — it helps many people keep down sips of water better.
• Go for the fizzy stuff. ...
• Pour yourself a cup of joe. ...

How to relieve and avoid constipation naturally?

• Men should aim to drink at least 13 cups (3 liters) of fluid per day. Women should aim for at least 9 cups (2.2 liters) of fluid per day. ...
• Avoid caffeinated and alcoholic beverages while you’re experiencing constipation. ...
• Other fluids, such as juices, clear broths, and herbal teas are good sources of fluid, although you should avoid caffeinated teas. ...

How do you cure constipation?

How can I treat my constipation?

• Change what you eat and drink. Changing what you eat and drink may make your stools softer and easier to pass. ...
• Get regular physical activity. Getting regular physical activity may help relieve your symptoms.
• Try bowel training. ...
• Stop taking certain medicines or dietary supplements. ...
• Take over-the-counter medicines. ...

See more

What is the best treatment for constipation?

Treatment for ConstipationChange what you eat and drink. Changing what you eat and drink may make your stools softer and easier to pass. ... Get regular physical activity. ... Try bowel training. ... Stop taking certain medicines or dietary supplements. ... Take over-the-counter medicines. ... Prescription medicines. ... Biofeedback therapy. ... Surgery.

What is the safest treatment for constipation?

In general, bulk-forming laxatives, also referred to as fiber supplements, are the gentlest on your body and safest to use long term. Metamucil and Citrucel fall into this category.

What is the main cause of constipation?

Common lifestyle causes of constipation include: Eating foods low in fiber. Not drinking enough water (dehydration). Not getting enough exercise. Changes in your regular routine, such as traveling or eating or going to bed at different times.

Is banana good for constipation?

Bananas are high in fiber Fiber has long been claimed to help prevent and relieve constipation ( 2 , 3 ). Soluble fiber absorbs water, helping stools stay large and soft. This may help improve the movement of stool through your digestive tract ( 4 ).

How can I avoid constipation?

Include plenty of high-fiber foods in your diet, including beans, vegetables, fruits, whole grain cereals and bran. Eat fewer foods with low amounts of fiber such as processed foods, and dairy and meat products. Drink plenty of fluids. Stay as active as possible and try to get regular exercise.

What foods causes constipation?

7 Foods That Can Cause ConstipationAlcohol. Alcohol is frequently mentioned as a likely cause of constipation. ... Gluten-containing foods. Gluten is a protein found in grains like wheat, barley, rye, spelt, kamut, and triticale. ... Processed grains. ... Milk and dairy products. ... Red meat. ... Fried or fast foods. ... Persimmons.

What are symptoms of constipation?

What are the symptoms of constipation?Difficult and painful bowel movements.Bowel movements fewer than three times a week.Feeling bloated or uncomfortable.Feeling sluggish.Abdominal pain.

How to treat constipation?

If those changes don't help, your doctor may recommend medications or surgery.

What tests are used to diagnose constipation?

In addition to a general physical exam and a digital rectal exam, doctors use the following tests and procedures to diagnose chronic constipation and try to find the cause: Blood tests. Your doctor will look for a systemic condition such as low thyroid (hypothyroidism) or high calcium levels. An X-ray.

What is the best way to get stool to move through your colon?

Lubricants. Lubricants such as mineral oil enable stool to move through your colon more easily. Stool softeners. Stool softeners such as docusate sodium (Colace) and docusate calcium (Surfak) moisten the stool by drawing water from the intestines. Enemas and suppositories.

What are the causes of intestines to contract?

Stimulants including bisacodyl (Correctol, Dulcolax, others) and sennosides (Senokot, Ex-Lax, Perdiem) cause your intestines to contract. Osmotics. Osmotic laxatives help stool move through the colon by increasing secretion of fluid from the intestines and helping to stimulate bowel movements.

What is the effect of mu-opioid receptor antagonists on the intestine?

If constipation is caused by opioid pain medications, PAMORAs such as naloxegol (Movantik) and methylnaltrexone (Relistor) reverse the effect of opioids on the intestine to keep the bowel moving.

How to get rid of a swollen intestine?

Slowly begin to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables each day. Choose whole-grain breads and cereals.

How does biofeedback help you pass poop?

Biofeedback training involves working with a therapist who uses devices to help you learn to relax and tighten the muscles in your pelvis. Relaxing your pelvic floor muscles at the right time during defecation can help you pass stool more easily.

What is the best medicine for constipation?

Other medications. Lubiprostone (Amitiza) is a prescription drug used to relieve stomach pain, bloating, and straining and produce softer and more frequent bowel movements in men and women who have chronic idiopathic (functional) constipation.

What is the second choice for constipation?

Stimulant laxatives are the second choice in constipation therapy. This class of drugs includes senna (e.g., Senokot, Ex-Lax), cascara sagrada, and bisacodyl (e.g., Dulcolax, Correctol). Although chronic use of these drugs has been thought to cause damage to the intestine’s nervous system, it is now believed this concern has been overstated.

Is constipation a symptom or a disease?

The term constipation includes a complex of symptoms related to slow, impaired, difficult, or painful defecation. Because constipation is a symptom and not a disease, patients should be evaluated for possible underlying causes. “Alarm” symptoms in particular should trigger a complete colonic evaluation to exclude serious underlying cause.

Can you increase water intake during transit?

In addition to increasing their fiber intake, people with normal-transit constipation are often advised to increase their water consumption and physical activity. However, there are several caveats to be noted with this approach.

Does bowel movement increase after bowel surgery?

The frequency of bowel movements after surgery is not entirely predictable. A few patients may have persisting constipation. Others develop unacceptable diarrhea.

Does botox help with puborectalis?

There have been anecdotal reports of botulin toxin (Botox) injection to alleviate non-relaxation or paradoxical contraction of the puborectalis muscle with straining. While some cases appear to have been successfully treated, no formal endorsement of this therapy can be offered until additional data become available.

Can you treat functional constipation with laxatives?

Most cases of functional constipation can be treated based on symptoms, with or without the addition of laxatives. Patients with constipation resistant to initial treatment should undergo specialized evaluation to determine the presence of impaired colonic transit or outlet obstruction.

What is the best way to help with constipation?

Fiber Supplements. Though getting more fiber from foods is best, fiber supplements can be helpful as well. There are several different options that can help with constipation. These are collectively known as bulk-forming laxatives because they work to make stool soft and, therefore, easier to pass.

What to do if you have constipation?

Occasional use of over-the-counter (OTC) treatments such as enemas or laxatives is the next step, although long-term use of these can be habit-forming. Talk to your doctor if your constipation doesn't respond to anything, or if you have severe pain and bloating.

Why is bowel retraining important?

In some cases, bowel retraining may be helpful in learning how to have a bowel movement that is soft and easily passed. Retraining the bowel takes time and a conscious effort. The goal is to create a daily schedule and routine that helps make having a bowel movement an easier and more comfortable process.

What are some good foods to eat to help with constipation?

Getting fiber through the foods you eat is best. Some foods, including prunes, figs, licorice, and rhubarb, have natural laxative properties and can be helpful in relieving constipation.

Can you have a soft stool with constipation?

In cases of uncomplicated constipation, some changes in diet and lifestyle are all that will be needed to meet the goal of a soft, well-formed, easily passed stool. When disease or medication is the cause of constipation, other treatments might be needed. Always consult with a physician regarding constipation that becomes chronic or if enemas or stimulant laxatives are needed to have a bowel movement.

Is flaxseed a laxative?

Flaxseed contains fiber that is beneficial as a bulk-forming laxative. 9 It has had little research related to constipation, but it falls within the general guideline of bulk-forming OTC laxatives or adding more fiber to your diet. Avoid raw or unripe flaxseed, as it contains some toxic compounds.

Is constipation a problem for adults?

Constipation is a common problem for children and adults . In many cases, the treatment for uncomplicated constipation includes changes to diet, lifestyle, and bowel habits. Trying one or two of these strategies may help bring some relief.

How to help with constipation?

Some recommendations to help relieve your constipation include: Drink two to four extra glasses of water a day. Avoid caffeine-containing drinks and alcohol, which can cause dehydration. Add fruits, vegetables whole grains and other high-fiber foods to your diet. Eat fewer high-fat foods, like meat, eggs and cheese.

What is the best medicine for constipation?

A few prescription drugs are available to treat constipation. These include lubiprostone (Amitiza®), prucalopride ( Prudac®, Motegrity®), plecanatide (Trulance®), lactulose (Cephulac®, Kristalose®) and linaclotide (Linzess®). Your doctor will pick the drug that might work best for you based on the results of your tests.

Why does my colon hold on to stool longer?

Although your colon holds on to stool longer when you are constipated and you may feel uncomfortable, the colon is an expandable container for your waste. There is possibly a slight risk of a bacterial infection if waste gets into an existing wound in the colon or rectum.

What are the features of constipation?

Other key features that usually define constipation include: Your stools are dry and hard. Your bowel movement is painful and stools are difficult to pass. You have a feeling that you have not fully emptied your bowels. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center.

How to stop constipation from becoming a chronic problem?

Use the same home-based methods you used to treat constipation to prevent it from becoming a chronic problem: Eat a well-balanced diet with plenty of fiber. Good sources of fiber are fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole-grain breads and cereals. Fiber and water help the colon pass stool.

How to make bowel movement easier?

Raising your feet, leaning back or squatting may make having a bowel movement easier. Add an over-the-counter supplemental fiber to your diet (like Metamucil®, Citrucel®, and Benefiber®). If needed, take a very mild over-the-counter stool softener or laxative (such as docusate [Colace®] or Milk of Magnesia®).

Why does my stool get hard?

If you have constipation, food may move too slowly through the digestive tract. This gives the colon more time – too much time – to absorb water from the waste. The stool becomes dry, hard, and difficult to push out. Pathway of food waste through colon, rectum and anus.

What is the best medicine for constipation?

These drugs include methylnaltrexone (Relistor) and naloxegol (Movantik.) Surgery for constipation treatment. Sometimes constipation is caused by a structural problem in your colon or rectum. Your colon may be blocked or unusually narrow, or you may have a partial collapse or a bulge in the wall of your rectum.

How to get rid of constipation without a doctor?

It may seem obvious, but your diet has a big impact on how you poop. Eat more fiber. Fiber makes stool bulkier and softer so it's easier to pass.

What is the best product to soften stools?

Stool softeners such as docusate calcium ( Surfak) and docus ate sodium ( Colace ) make stools easier to pass by adding fluid to them. Having softer stool can prevent you from having to strain during bowel movements. Your doctor may recommend one of these products if your constipation is due to childbirth or surgery.

What does CIC mean in bowel movement?

Inability to have a bowel movement. Also, call if you've been having trouble going for more than three weeks and constipation treatments aren't working. You may have a condition called Chronic Idiopathic Constipation (CIC) which means your constipation may be caused by something other than physical or physiological.

How to get rid of constipation fast?

Gradually increase the amount of fiber in your diet until you're getting at least 20 to 35 grams of fiber daily. Good sources include whole grains found in cereals, breads, and brown rice, beans, vegetables and fresh or dried fruits. Prunes and bran cereal are tried and true constipation remedies. Stay hydrated.

How many bowel movements do you have in a week?

According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, part of the National Institutes of Health, constipation is a condition in which you have fewer than three bowel movements in a week, and your stools are hard, dry, and small, making them painful and difficult to pass.

How many people have constipation?

A lot of Americans -- more than 4 million by some estimates -- deal with constipation on a regular basis. Women have constipation more often than men. This may have to do with the slower movement of food through a woman's intestines, as well as with the effects of female hormones on the GI tract.

What is the best treatment for constipation?

Medications. If your constipation is caused by irritable bowel syndrome or chronic idiopathic constipation, your doctor may prescribe you a chloride channel activator such as lubiprostone ( Amitiza ). It works by turning on switches in your cells that tell more fluid to come into your gastrointestinal tract.

How to get rid of a swollen stomach?

our plate with lots of veggies, fruits, and whole grains and don't eat too many low-fiber foods like dairy and meat. Drink more water . Your digestive system needs water to help flush things out. Exercise. This helps the muscles in your digestive system work better, so solids can move through more smoothly.

How does a physical therapist help you relax?

Your physical therapist inserts a small tube called a catheter into your rectum. It measures muscle tension. As you go through the exercises, a machine can tell you when you're relaxed and when you've tightened your muscles. This can help you learn how to relax when you need to pass a stool.

Can you take Senna for constipation?

Senna -sennosides oral ( Senokot) Laxatives aren't right for everyone with constipation. You should only use them under a doctor's care, for a short amount of time. They're not meant for long term (aside from fiber supplements, which add fiber to your diet). Taking laxatives for too long can cause other issues.

Can fiber supplements help with pelvic floor dysfunction?

It's been used to treat people with pelvic floor dysfunction. You can also try laxatives. Different types work in different ways to help you have a bowel movement. Fiber supplements add bulk to your diet, which can help you go. They come in all kinds of forms including pills, powder, and chewable tablets.

Is constipation a chronic condition?

When constipation goes on for months at a time, it's considered chronic. Your doctor will need to find out what's causing it. But before they suggest medications to treat it, they may first suggest you make some changes in your daily life. They may recommend you:

What is the best way to cure constipation?

Oranges are not only rich in citric acid but are also good for home antidotes for constipation. Eat a couple of oranges once in the morning and once in the evening which can be a certain way to cure your constipation once and for all or you can consume them without peeling off the white threads.

How to get rid of constipation?

One very common tried and tested remedy is to drink more water when you are feeling constipated. The greater amount of water you drink, the more easily the stool would pass through and give you much relief.

Why does my stool get hard and hard?

In the colon, most of water and salt of the waste are reabsorbed because it is necessary for the body. However, when the intestines absorb too much water or the colon contracts slowly, the stool becomes dry, hard and difficult to pass through the colon. This is the root cause of constipation. You may also be constipated if ...

How often do you have bowel movements?

The frequency that an adult have bowel movements varies among people. Normally, it’s about 3 times a week but some people may have only once or twice a week. Thus, you may notice to have constipation if there is a reduction in the number of your defecations.

How often does constipation happen?

Constipation is medically a condition in which your defecation is difficult and happens fewer than once every two days. It is one of the most popular health problems, which can occur in all age groups, from newborns to elderly. Almost we will experience this condition at least once in our lives, yet normally for a short time.

How to get rid of constipation naturally?

Lemon. Lemon or more particularly the juice of the lemon is very effective in curing constipation. It clears out your bowels and gets the digestive system moving again. Squeeze out the juice of half lemon and pour it into a glass of warm water. Add some honey or a pinch of salt to it.

What is the best medicine for dry stools?

2. Castor oil. Castor oil can also be taken when you are in dire straits and wishing that your bowels would get cleared. Castor oil eases your bowels in softening them so that the hard and dry stools come out easily and you are much relieved. However, you should take castor oil at the recommended dosage.

Diagnosis

Treatment

Clinical Trials

Alternative Medicine

Preparing For Your Appointment

• Treatment for chronic constipation usually begins with diet and lifestyle changes meant to increase the speed at which stool moves through your intestines. If those changes don't help, your doctor may recommend medications or surgery.

See more on mayoclinic.org

Home Remedies and Lifestyle

Over-The-Counter (OTC) Therapies

Prescriptions

Surgeries and Specialist-Driven Procedures

Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Summary

A Word from Verywell