What is the best and 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 safest laxative for seniors?
Osmotic laxatives such as polyethylene glycol (brand name Miralax) are well-tolerated by most older adults, and can be used daily.
What is the first line of treatment for constipation?
Bulk-forming laxatives are the first-line treatment for most patients with constipation. Bulk-forming laxatives are gentle, safe, and effective.Oct 5, 2020
What are some common treatments for constipation?
The following are available over-the-counter:Fiber supplements. Fiber supplements add bulk to your stool. ... Stimulants. Stimulants including bisacodyl (Correctol, Dulcolax, others) and sennosides (Senokot, Ex-Lax, Perdiem) cause your intestines to contract.Osmotics. ... Lubricants. ... Stool softeners. ... Enemas and suppositories.Aug 31, 2021
What helps severe constipation in elderly?
Increasing dietary fiber intake to 25 to 30 g daily may improve symptoms of constipation. Encourage physical activity to improve bowel regularity. If nonpharmacologic approaches fail, recommend increased fiber intake and/or laxatives to increase bowel movement frequency and improve symptoms of constipation.Dec 1, 2005
Why constipation occurs in old age?
Causes of constipation in the elderly Some of the reasons for this propensity include poor diet, lack of adequate fluids in diet, lack of exercise, the use of certain drugs to treat other medical conditions, and poor bowel habits.Jun 20, 2019
Which medicine is used for treating constipation?
Drugs used to treat ConstipationDrug nameRatingRx/OTCView information about Metamucil Metamucil6.8OTCGeneric name: psyllium systemic Drug class: laxatives For consumers: dosage, interactions, side effectsView information about magnesium citrate magnesium citrate8.7Rx/OTC72 more rows
What are the prevention of constipation?
PreventionInclude 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.More items...•Aug 31, 2021
Which category of medication is used to treat the constipation?
Stimulant laxatives are commonly employed to treat acute constipation and are the most common class of laxatives used over the long term by individuals taking over-the-counter products.
What fiber helps with constipation?
Foods that are good sources of soluble fiber include apples, bananas, barley, oats, and beans. Insoluble fiber helps speed up the transit of food in the digestive tract and helps prevent constipation. Good sources of insoluble fiber include whole grains, most vegetables, wheat bran, and legumes.
How is functional constipation treated?
Treatment of functional constipation involves disimpaction using oral or rectal medication. Polyethylene glycol is effective and well tolerated, but a number of alternatives are available. After disimpaction, a maintenance program may be required for months to years because relapse of functional constipation is common.Feb 1, 2006
What can I give child for constipation?
If you believe your child is constipated, Webb lists safe and easy options to help get quick relief at home:Juice (pear, white grape and prune). The recommendation for juice is 4 ounces or less per day. ... Abdominal massage. ... Increased water intake (for children older than 1). ... Increased fiber. ... Increased Opportunities.
What is the diagnosis of constipation?
Constipation is a clinical diagnosis based on symptoms of incomplete elimination of stool, difficulty passing stool, or both. Patients typically experience other symptoms such as hard stools, abdominal bloating, pain, and distention.
How often does constipation occur?
Constipation may be present with normal stool frequency, defined as at least one stool three times per week, or with daily bowel movements. 1 Chronic constipation is characterized by the presence of symptoms for at least three months out of the preceding 12 months.
What is lubiprostone used for?
Food and Drug Administration for long-term treatment of chronic constipation in adults.
What are osmotic laxatives?
Osmotic laxatives are not absorbable. These laxatives draw water into the intestinal lumen. Lactulose and sorbitol are hyperosmolar sugar alcohols that increase frequency of defecation and reduce straining. They are metabolized by colonic bacteria and then absorbed by colonic mucosa. An RCT of 30 men 65 to 86 years of age showed that sorbitol and lactulose were equally effective in treating constipation. 19 Another RCT of nursing home residents with an average age of 85 years found that lactulose was more effective than placebo. 28 Lactulose may cause diarrhea in patients who are lactose intolerant.
How to treat constipation with fiber?
The next step in the treatment of constipation is the use of an osmotic laxative, such as polyethylene glycol, followed by a stool softener, such as docusate sodium, and then stimulant laxatives.
Which is better for constipation: lactulose or polyethylene glycol?
Polyethylene glycol (Miralax) is preferred over lactulose for the treatment of constipation because it is more effective and has fewer adverse effects. Linaclotide (Linzess) and lubiprostone (Amitiza) are more effective than placebo for chronic constipation.
What is the treatment for fecal impaction?
Fecal impaction should be treated with mineral oil or warm water enemas.
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 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.
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 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.
What are some foods that help with constipation?
Supplements or foods containing prebiotics, like bananas and oatmeal, and probiotics, like yogurt and fermented foods, may help.
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.
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 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.
What is the best way to relieve constipation?
Psyllium, a soluble fiber that comes from the shrub-like herb Plantago ovata, can help relieve constipation. The reaction between the psyllium husk and water forms a gelatin-like mass that helps move stool through the intestines. Another soluble fiber, glucomannan, is derived from the root of Amorphophallus konjac.
How many people have chronic constipation?
Chronic constipation affects almost 15% of all adults and 30% of those over age 60. It’s characterized by difficult, infrequent, or incomplete bowel movements. Chronic constipation is defined as having two of the six following symptoms for more than three months: straining, hard stools, less than three bowel movements per week, ...
How do laxatives work?
Bulk laxatives, also known as fiber supplements, must be taken with water. They work by helping retain water in the intestines, which helps form softer and bulkier stool that is easier to evacuate. Stimulant laxatives cause regular contractions in the intestinal muscles, which help move stool along. Osmotics cause fluids to move through the intestines in such a way as to cause distention or swelling. They may be useful for people with idiopathic constipation (constipation without any known cause). Lubricants, such as mineral oil or glycerin suppositories, can help stimulate bowel movements, making it easier to evacuate stool.
How does biofeedback help with constipation?
It works by retraining the pelvic muscles that control the release of bowel movements. Learning how to relax and tighten these muscles can ease the evacuation of stool.
How many doctor visits are there for constipation?
It’s one of the most frequent gastrointestinal problems in the United States, with over 2 million physician visits each year. When constipation continues for more than a few months, it’s known as long-term or chronic constipation. Chronic constipation affects almost 15% of all adults and 30% of those over age 60.
How does a stool softener work?
Stool softeners work by increasing the water content of stool, thus helping ease its way through the intestines. Check with your doctor before embarking on a stool softener course to treat constant constipation.
What medications cause constipation?
Several medications can cause chronic constipation. Antacids that contain aluminum or calcium, anticonvulsants, antispasmodics, anticholinergics, antiparkinson drugs, antidepressants, calcium channel blockers, diuretics, iron supplements, and pain medications (particularly nar cotics / opioids) can be at fault. Check with you doctor to see if your medications can be changed or eliminated.
Diagnosis
Treatment
- 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.
Clinical Trials
- Explore Mayo Clinic studiestesting new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition.
Alternative Medicine
- Many people use alternative and complementary medicine to treat constipation, but these approaches have not been well-studied. Researchers currently are evaluating the usefulness of acupuncture.
Preparing For Your Appointment
- You'll likely first seek medical care for constipation from your family doctor or general practitioner. You may be referred to a specialist in digestive disorders (gastroenterologist) if your doctor suspects a more advanced case of constipation. Because appointments can be brief, and because there's often a lot of information to cover, it's a good idea to be well-prepared. Here's so…