What to do if you have very severe constipation. Cleansing with mineral water

Constipation in adults is common. Constipation is a common problem that means having bowel movements less often than usual or having bowel movements that are difficult and painful.

Constipation can be caused by a number of reasons, including not eating enough fiber, not drinking enough fluids, and side effects from taking certain medications.

What is constipation

Constipation is considered a disease by the World Health Organization. However, gastroenterologists classify constipation as a symptom that may indicate another disease. Constipation is insufficient, slow and difficult bowel movement.

With constipation, the stool becomes hard, making it difficult to have a bowel movement and may be painful.

The time between bowel movements increases compared to usual. Although for some people, bowel movements 2-3 times a day are considered normal, for others, 2-3 times a week is quite normal.

Sometimes constipation causes cramping pain in the lower abdomen and a feeling of bloating.

Causes of constipation in adults

The most common causes of constipation are:

Insufficient consumption of foods containing fiber;

Insufficient consumption of water and other liquids;

Some special diets for weight loss, especially those low in fiber;

Physical inactivity;

Certain medications, such as painkillers, antidepressants, iron supplements and others. When taking such medications, read about possible side effects and if constipation is included in this list, ask to change to another drug;

Some diseases, such as irritable bowel syndrome, thyroid diseases and others;

Pregnancy;

Unknown reasons. There are people who follow a diet, drink enough fluids, do not have diseases that can cause constipation and do not take medications, but, nevertheless, they suffer from constipation. This constipation may be associated with decreased bowel function and is more common in women. Such problems usually begin in childhood or early adulthood and persist throughout life.

How to treat constipation in adults

Treatment of constipation in adults with laxatives is required only if changes in diet and diet do not bring results.

To treat short-term, uncomplicated constipation, you can also use a laxative to quickly relieve constipation. Taking laxatives should be stopped as soon as constipation is eliminated. That is, in case of “accidental” constipation, you can drink only to relieve constipation at the moment.

In addition to laxative medications that are taken orally, there are suppositories with a laxative effect. As a rule, suppositories help relieve constipation quickly within a few minutes to several hours.

Folk remedies for the treatment of constipation

Before you go to the pharmacy for a laxative, you can try to solve the problem of constipation with folk remedies. There are a lot of home remedies for constipation and they work no worse than a laxative from a pharmacy. Moreover, they are more harmless.

Olive oil

Pure olive oil is very good for constipation. It helps stimulate the digestive system, promoting better movement of stool through the intestines. When taken regularly on an empty stomach, the oil can also be a good preventative to prevent constipation.

Take a tablespoon of oil in the morning on an empty stomach. If you forgot and missed taking the oil on an empty stomach, drink it an hour and a half after eating.

Some people cannot drink pure oil. Add some lemon juice to it.

In addition to olive oil, you can drink any other unrefined vegetable oil on an empty stomach, for example, sunflower, corn, sea buckthorn, cedar and others.

For constipation, you can also make a mixture of olive oil and raw chicken egg yolk. To do this, beat the egg yolk with 3-4 teaspoons of oil. Dilute it with a glass of water and do an enema with it. It helps especially well when the stool is very hard, as they say, caked.

Lemon water

The citric acid in lemon juice, just like the oil, naturally stimulates digestion and helps get rid of toxins and undigested food on the intestinal walls.

Squeeze the juice of one lemon into a glass of warm water and drink it on an empty stomach in the morning.

Strong coffee

Many people start their morning with a cup of aromatic coffee. But coffee is also a good stimulant for the intestines. One or two cups of coffee in the morning will help relieve constipation. Just don't overdo it. Otherwise, you can get the opposite effect. The fact is that coffee has diuretic properties. If consumed in large quantities, it can lead to dehydration, drawing water out of the body and causing constipation.

Baking soda

Baking soda is the most common home remedy for many ailments. It also helps to cope with constipation. When drinking baking soda, gases are created in the intestines, which will stimulate the intestines and help move stool. It also re-alkalinizes gastric juice, neutralizing its acidity, which also helps move stool.

Dissolve a teaspoon of baking soda in a quarter glass of warm water and drink quickly.

Syrup

Molasses helps with chronic and short-term constipation equally well. Molasses contains a lot of magnesium, which helps relieve constipation. Dissolve a teaspoon of molasses in a glass of warm water or tea and drink.

Wheat bran

Wheat bran increases the volume of stool, which makes it easier to pass through the intestines. Pour hot water over a teaspoon of bran and let it swell. Drink this chatterbox. You can drink bran 3 times a day.

Oatmeal or oatmeal

Oatmeal acts similarly to bran. Grind oatmeal or buy ready-made oatmeal. Mix three tablespoons of flour with two tablespoons of honey and a tablespoon of regular table salt. Eat this mixture with water.

Salt draws water well from the intestinal walls, adsorbs toxins and cleanses the intestines. Therefore, be sure to drink plenty of water, at least a glass.

To stimulate and improve digestion, you can also take a teaspoon of ground peas.

Cucumber pickle

Cucumber brine is needed from pickled cucumbers, which are made in a barrel. It should contain only water and salt.

Mix half a glass of brine with two tablespoons of honey and drink.

Mint-ginger tea

Mint contains menthol, which has antispasmodic properties and relaxes the muscles of the gastrointestinal tract. Ginger has the ability to generate internal heat, which helps with sluggish bowels.

Dandelion leaf tea also helps relieve constipation caused by sluggish bowels and refined foods. Dandelion has a mild laxative effect and helps get rid of toxins.

To make dandelion tea, brew 1-2 teaspoons with a glass of boiling water and let steep for 8-10 minutes. You can drink up to 3 cups of this tea during the day.

Kefir and fermented milk products

Healthy intestinal microflora plays an important role in the functioning of the digestive tract.

Fermented milk contains bacteria that improve intestinal microflora. But for constipation, you need to drink kefir one day. Kefir, with a period of 3 days or more, on the contrary, strengthens.

Natural yogurt also contains lactic acid bacteria. If you have constant constipation, it is better to make your own yogurt and kefir.

A mixture of kefir with olive or vegetable oil will help ease bowel movements. To do this, add a tablespoon of oil to a glass of fresh kefir and drink it before bed.

Bananas

Prunes

Prunes are one of the most common classical methods of treating constipation in adults and children. Prunes contain a large amount of fiber and sorbitol. Sorbitol softens stools because it absorbs water well in the intestines, softening stool.

To improve bowel movements, you can drink plum juice: one glass in the morning and a glass at night. You can also eat a few prunes.

Laxative mixture

Two tablespoons of this mixture significantly improves digestion and helps relieve constipation.

To prepare the mixture, take equal quantities of prunes, raisins, figs, and dates. Grind in a meat grinder or grind in a blender.

The mixture can be prepared with honey or natural plum juice. Keep refrigerated.

Sorbitol

Sorbitol is a sugar substitute. It is not absorbed and draws out water well, which helps soften the stool. Essentially, sorbitol acts as an osmotic laxative.

Enemas

Doctors do not recommend enemas, as well as laxatives, constantly. This is addictive and can ultimately lead to sluggish bowels.

An enema can be done as a quick relief from constipation.

For atonic constipation, there is a treatment method using enemas. To do this, 2 hours after the last meal, take an enema of 1-1.5 liters of water. For an enema, you can make a chamomile decoction or add salt to it.

After bowel movements, slowly introduce 1 more glass of water and go to bed. You need to endure the urge to urinate and allow the water to be absorbed. It is better to do with warm water, as warm water is absorbed faster and better. The course of treatment with such enemas is no more than two weeks.

Read

If you are concerned about intestinal problems due to constipation, it is time to take measures to eliminate the disease, and treatment should begin with a visit to the doctor’s office. The intestines are an organ that quickly responds to pathological changes in the body; you should not hesitate to diagnose and treat yourself. What types of constipation are there, the main symptoms and what kind of treatment do people who have been diagnosed with this disease need?

What is constipation?

Constipation is an intestinal pathology in which the patient does not have regular bowel movements, which leads to deterioration in the functioning of the organ, disruption of metabolic processes in the body and changes in well-being. In case of the disease, stool is stone-like, abdominal pain and bloating appear. The disease manifests itself as a result of poor nutrition, poor drinking habits and abuse of bad habits. The cause of the disease is also provoked by dangerous diseases, in which it is impossible to delay.

Classification

Patients may suffer from chronic constipation for several years.

According to the duration of the disease, acute and chronic types of constipation are divided. In chronic cases, constipation periodically recurs, and the disease lasts for years. Depending on what was the root cause of impaired bowel movement, constipation is divided into functional and organic. The functional type is characterized by a short duration and manifests itself with poor nutrition, nervous overstrain, and hormonal imbalance. And organic constipation is associated with pathological changes in the structure of intestinal tissues, neurological diseases, and postoperative complications.

Depending on the factors that disrupt the dynamics of the intestine, constipation is divided into spastic and atonic. Spastic constipation occurs as a result of increased organ tone and worries young children and adolescents during hormonal surges. And atonic ones appear as a result of stretching of the intestinal walls, which lowers the threshold of sensitivity and the occurrence of a reflex to defecation.

Causes of conditions

The main underlying causes for the development of the disease in adults and children are:

poor diet, fiber and liquid are present in small quantities;
stress and sudden changes in lifestyle;
the patient’s reluctance to empty his bowels on time;
complications that occur due to the use of heavy medications;
bad ecology.

In young children

An incompletely formed digestive system causes constipation in infants.

If diseases bother newborn children, this is due to the fact that their digestive organs are not yet sufficiently developed, and over time, when the baby begins to grow up, the problem will subside. In older children, constipation occurs as a result of eating unhealthy foods and not following the drinking regime. Psychological stress also becomes the root cause of the disease; in this case, the child cannot be overloaded and subjected to unnecessary emotional stress.

In adults and elderly

In older and older people, poor cleansing is a consequence of a violation of diet and intestinal motility due to a decrease in its tone. In old age, the muscles of the body no longer function as well; the problem is provoked by poor nutrition and violation of the drinking regime and microflora. In this case, the patient is prescribed medication, which is prescribed by the doctor. A diet is also indicated, which excludes heavy, spicy and fatty foods. You need to give up alcohol and bad habits, they have a detrimental effect on the body and intestines.

In pregnant women

Fetal pressure on the intestines causes constipation.

During pregnancy, it is difficult to have a bowel movement due to hormonal changes. During this period, hormones are produced in the woman’s body that change muscle tone, it decreases, which disrupts intestinal functions and the process of defecation becomes more difficult. In the last stages, the growing uterus and fetus put pressure on the organ, interfering with its proper functioning. If the disease greatly bothers a woman, she should consult a doctor and begin treatment. Therapy consists of eating light foods, physical activity and maintaining a drinking regime. If after such events constipation still bothers you, the doctor prescribes medications, bifidobacteria, pre- and probiotics.

Symptoms of the disease

The symptom that confirms the diagnosis of constipation is defecation, which occurs less than once every 3 days. During defecation, feces are hard, dry, and difficult to pass out of the colon. If the disease is not treated, the nature of bowel movements changes, with constipation alternating with bouts of diarrhea. Other symptoms include abdominal pain, severe nausea, loss of appetite, bloating and colic, which are difficult to eliminate.

Diagnostics

Microparticles of blood in the stool indicate intestinal pathologies.

During the first meeting, the doctor gets to know the patient and asks him about all the problems and discomfort that bother the person. The doctor needs to know the root cause of the development of the disease, so he needs to answer all his questions. The patient undergoes stool, urine and general blood tests. If microparticles of blood are found in the stool, this indicates that a pathology is developing in the intestines, which requires identification and treatment.

If there are changes in the blood, the patient is sent for a detailed examination of the abdominal organs - irrigoscopy and colonoscopy. During irrigoscopy, the doctor will see changes in the walls of the intestinal mucosa, the presence of neoplasms of various etiologies, and metastases. During a colonoscopy, if pathology is detected, the doctor takes tissue samples for histology. After this, the doctor will determine the cause of the disease and prescribe a course of drug treatment.

Treatment of intestinal constipation

Drugs

A gastroenterologist knows how to cure constipation in the intestines and eliminate its consequences. Medicines, folk remedies and herbs that are combined help. Medicines that treat constipation are divided into 4 groups. When using chemical laxatives in the body, intestinal receptors are irritated, which provokes stimulation of the organ and its contraction. The drugs are concentrated in the large intestine and cause the urge to defecate once, 5-10 hours after administration. Medicines in this group are senna herbs, buckthorn, rhubarb, Bisacodyl, Guttalax, Dulcolax, castor oil, dill herb.

The drug acts locally only on the large intestine.

The second group includes sodium preparations and magnesium sulfate, magnesium hydroxide, Duphalac lactulose. The medicine relaxes the muscles of the large intestine; after taking it, the urge to defecate appears after 6-12 hours. In the third group, laxatives accumulate in the colon, increasing its volume and causing the urge to defecate. These are bran, agar-agar, methylcellulose, seaweed. The fourth group includes oils that have a laxative effect. They soften stool and promote rapid sliding through the intestines. These are almond, sea buckthorn, fennel, and Vaseline oils. After taking them, the effect occurs within 3-6 hours.

But remember that long-term use disrupts intestinal functions. it loses its ability to empty its bowels on its own, and after stopping laxatives it will be difficult to empty the intestines on its own. Therefore, you cannot self-medicate and buy medicine at your own discretion. The doctor does this, prescribes a course and, according to him, the functioning of the organ is improved without side effects.

Constipation can have various causes - some of them are harmless and can be easily eliminated at home, others are quite dangerous and require additional examination of the intestines and medical care.

Constipation is a disorder in the functioning of the intestines, during which the movement of feces stops or their release becomes impossible. Feces may become rough and hard.

With constipation, a strong pain in the abdomen is felt, which may be accompanied by nausea, which can be short-term. With constipation, the intestinal walls are stretched by feces, which also causes pain. Prolonged retention of feces leads to intoxication of the body and inflammation of the abdominal cavity.

Causes

The causes of constipation can be independent, or they can act as chronic diseases with a complication in the form of constipation. Independent reasons:

Violation of the usual daily routine;
Depression, stress;
Shocks, disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous system;
Heavy food;
Lack of fiber;
Low physical activity.

Foods that are unusual in your diet can also cause constipation. Among chronic diseases, constipation accompanies disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, reproductive system and ureters.

Symptoms

The first symptom is the inability to have a bowel movement for two days. Defecation can occur every day, but causes difficulty and pain. It takes effort to have a bowel movement. Severe constipation is accompanied by abdominal pain, mainly in the area of the large intestine.

The feces have a dense consistency, dry, and even after a bowel movement you feel fullness in the intestines and heaviness in the abdomen. If the disorder is caused by a spasm in the intestines, additional symptoms include bloating, flatulence, and sharp pain in the lower abdomen.

Constipation associated with spasm can become chronic; in this case, patients suffer from constipation, accompanied by lack of appetite, insomnia, and pain.

What not to do

The first thing you should not do if you are constipated is eat rough food. It will only worsen the patient’s condition, and constipation can develop to the point of rectal bleeding. Avoid the following:

Active massages of the abdominal area;
Warming the abdomen;
Eating fatty, rough, heavy foods;
Alcohol consumption.

To simplify the movement of feces, there are special physical exercises that involve minimal impact on the intestinal area.

First aid

A medicinal solution that helps with constipation is laxatives. Among these are:

Duphalac;
Gutalax;
Lactulose;
Phytomycil;

They help soften stool and activate intestinal motility, but their use can cause colic, bloating and pain during bowel movements, so this is a recommendation on what to do in case of severe constipation, when help is needed immediately.

Help with constipation that lasts several days but does not cause the patient to become critically ill:

Taking a tablespoon of vegetable oil on an empty stomach;
Colon douching - enema;
Mild laxatives;
Dissolving two teaspoons of honey in water - a glass of this water should be drunk in one gulp.

Physical exercise

Special exercises that activate bowel function can be the first aid for constipation. To do this, you need to lean forward, rest your hands on your hips and inhale deeply with your stomach, not with your diaphragm, so that your stomach inflates when you inhale and deflates when you exhale. Then you gradually need to bend lower, resting your palms on your shins and continue to breathe with your stomach.

Performing these exercises for 15-20 minutes can cause the urge to defecate in the near future. It is worth noting that such exercises should be done only when there is no acute pain, no nausea, and no urge to vomit.

Therapeutic exercises are also useful for chronic constipation. Performing exercises daily allows you to normalize bowel movements and solve the problem of constipation for a long time.

When to ask for help

Very severe constipation can cause serious mechanical damage to the intestines due to excess feces, and result in volvulus and other dangerous consequences.

Constipation is dangerous if it is accompanied by:

Sharp pain;
Bloody streaks in the stool;
Rectal bleeding;
Strong gas formation;

If you have such constipation, what to do urgently:

Ensure a body position in which the pressure on the intestines will be minimal - lying down or standing
Seek immediate medical attention
You can take a pain reliever, but not an antispasmodic one, for example, Ketorol.

Help should be provided as soon as possible; however, laxatives and enemas are contraindicated in this case, as they will prevent the doctor from making an accurate diagnosis, may cause complications and exhaust the patient. It is also worth consulting a doctor in cases where, instead of feces, only gases and.

Douching

Cleansing enemas can help with constipation at home. They are prescribed in cases of intoxication, stone belly syndrome, when the peritoneum feels hard and swollen.

An enema can be:

Saline;
Oily;
Water.

Instantly causes bowel movements, softens stool and helps in cases where emergency bowel movements are required. Magnesia or saline solutions are used only when there are no bloody streaks in the stool and the intestinal tissue is not damaged. Otherwise, such solutions will cause burning pain and severe inflammation of the damaged areas of the intestines.

Oil enemas are given using vegetable or sea buckthorn oil. They gently cleanse the intestines and soften stool. Using olive oil will not only cleanse the intestines, but also alleviate pain.

Small children and pregnant women are given microenemas with sorbitol and medicinal salts. To treat constipation in adults, a water enema with warm water is given. The correct way to administer an enema is:

Lie on your left side, place your left hand under your head;
Bend your legs slightly at the knees;
Lubricate the edge of the syringe with oil or Vaseline to prevent pain;
Slowly inject the solution.

After administration, slight nausea may be felt. The patient should stand up and walk slowly, stroking his stomach counterclockwise with his hand.

Suppositories

Constipation (constipation) in pregnant women, children and is often treated with rectal suppositories. These are soft laxative suppositories, divided into three types:

Glycerin-based suppositories improve intestinal motility and soften stool. Even newborn children can be given glycerin suppositories.
Bisacodyl - cause irritation of the nerve endings of the intestine, thus stimulating peristalsis. The action may be accompanied by itching and pain.
Based on papaverine, they restore intestinal motility and stool regulation.

Medicines

Prescription of medications should be carried out by a doctor after examination and identification of additional symptoms, since douching and a suppository are sufficient at home. There are 4 groups of drugs:

Irritating - they should be taken only if there is no damage to the intestines. They act on the nerve endings of the intestinal lining, activating peristalsis. It is not recommended to take such drugs on your own. The group includes Fitomycil and Gutalax.
Osmotic - softens stool and can make bowel movements painless. The group includes Duphalac, Portalac and Lactulose. The drug should be taken in accordance with the instructions and, without taking a horizontal position, walk around, stroking the intestinal area.

Plant-based – contain figs, plums, and other plants with a laxative effect. The drug taken will be safe for pregnant women, the elderly and infants. Can be taken independently.
Lubricants - soften stool and facilitate its passage. The group includes Flit, Zimenol. Adults can take it independently.

Medicines that can be taken without a prescription should work within a few hours. Otherwise, the help of a specialist is required.

Diet

Treatment of constipation is accompanied by a diet rich in fiber and easily digestible foods. To improve your condition, you need to eat several types of fresh fruits and vegetables every day. In winter, it can be ordinary white cabbage and carrots. Plums, rowan berries, zucchini, vinaigrettes and fruit salads help soften stool.

For better absorption and emptying, you can drink a tablespoon of vegetable oil on an empty stomach and wash it down with freshly squeezed fruit or vegetable juice. The diet should include fermented milk and dairy products - sour cream, kefir, cottage cheese, yogurt, mild cheese. Biokefirs help soften stool and improve the condition of microflora.

For lunch, you can eat soup with low-fat or recycled broth, as well as viscous mucous porridge - oatmeal, buckwheat or wheat. The bread should be made from rye flour, since eating wheat bread will immediately lead to fermentation processes.

Drink

Drinking regimen is an important component in the treatment of chronic constipation and softening stool. The following rules will help cleanse the intestines and improve their motor function:

If constipation occurs, the volume of fluid drunk daily should be doubled;
First courses and coffee are not counted in this volume, but juices, purified water and teas will be beneficial;
Half an hour before a meal you need to drink a glass of warm water;
You can drink tea or juice at least an hour after eating.

Instructions

Magnesia powder will help you deal with it as quickly as possible. It is sold in pharmacies, has an acceptable cost, but is highly effective. Dissolve 15-25 g of magnesia in half a glass of cold water. Check if there are all crystals, otherwise vomiting is possible. Drink the resulting solution in one gulp on an empty stomach and quickly follow it with sweet water - magnesia is very bitter. After about 30 minutes you will feel the first urge to defecate. Keep in mind that you can only drink if you don’t need to go anywhere.

A less rapid, but milder effect can be obtained if you take Duphalac or Regulax. “Senade” is famous for a similar action. Read the instructions carefully, or better yet, consult your doctor. The listed remedies will not cause serious diarrhea, but the intestines will be cleansed. If you take the drugs at night, you will feel the effect in the morning.

Give an enema if you do not want to take medications, but you need to solve the problem with constipation as soon as possible. To do this, pour warm boiled water into Esmarch's mug, insert the lubricated tip into the anus, lie on your side and open the tap. After all the water has entered the intestines, feces will begin, so stay in close proximity to the toilet.

Seaweed, which is used to make salads, has a laxative effect. You can also use it as a ready-made pharmaceutical powder and add it to dishes instead of salt.

For constipation, choose baked goods prepared with the addition of bran and whole grains. Give preference to wholemeal bread. Sweet muffins and cakes negatively affect the functioning of the digestive tract.

- every morning on an empty stomach, drink a glass of boiled water with the addition of lemon juice;
- eat salads made from fresh vegetables or fruits, seasoned with vegetable oil;
- before going to bed, drink low-fat kefir or yogurt with the addition of 1 tbsp. olive oil;
- Drink enough fluids throughout the day, excluding carbonated or overly sweet drinks.

Video on the topic

causes will lead to complete recovery, and local impact on the problem will only aggravate it.

Causes of constipation

Most often, problems with stool occur due to a sedentary lifestyle. Office work leads to a slowdown in metabolism and stagnation in the intestines. To combat constipation, you need to do exercises 2-3 times a day.

Constipation can also occur if you overuse sandwiches, flour products, or with insufficient fluid and fiber intake. A balanced diet on a schedule will help eliminate the problem.

Constipation is often a consequence of stress. Often, due to nervousness, people eat a lot without feeling real hunger. To avoid constipation, you need to learn to control your appetite through willpower.

What to do at the first sign of constipation

Constipation is difficulty defecating, often leading to anal fissures. Simply having infrequent bowel movements is not constipation.

Those who cannot go to the toilet for several days and feel discomfort in the anal area should resort to an enema or laxative tea. You also need to fast and drink more clean water. This will help prepare the body for treatment.

Traditional recipes for constipation

The fastest way to solve intestinal problems is to drink vegetable and fruit juices. Nature has given man many foods that normalize motor skills: tomatoes, plums, bananas, strawberries, pumpkins, peaches, apples and many others.

Tomato juice is very... It contains substances that increase the level of the hormone serotonin and relieves stress. In addition, freshly squeezed tomato juice has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It is recommended to make fruit juice yourself, because packaged juices contain preservatives that reduce all the benefits of tomatoes to zero. You can add greens, chopped olives and pickled cucumbers to the fresh juice.

Mothers are interested in which juice helps their children. The most useful mixture is formed by the pulp of banana and strawberry. The first fruit is rich in serotonin and norpinephrine, the second is a storehouse of flavonoids, organic acids and vitamin C.

In addition, juice from dark plums and pears, fresh apple-peach juice, cranberry juice, a decoction of figs, prunes and dried apricots are extremely effective for constipation.

Before taking any juice for a course, you should consult your doctor and find out if you have allergies.

Treating constipation is hard work. The intestines are a very capricious organ.

If you overdo it a little with laxatives, constipation is replaced by diarrhea, which also needs to be treated. And fixative drugs again cause constipation.

Therefore, it is better to entrust treatment to a specialist. Constipation affects different age categories of people from newborns to the elderly.

Therefore, you cannot get rid of chronic constipation with strong laxatives - intestinal problems and constipation must be treated wisely!

If constipation is caused by dietary errors, a sedentary lifestyle or nervous fatigue, you can cope with it yourself.

If the reason is physical inactivity

With physical inactivity, the intestines rebel against its non-physiological position. Bloating and constipation begin. This problem can be solved simply: every 1.5-2 hours you need to take a break, get up from your chair, walk around a little, stretch.

With constant sedentary work, hemorrhoids often worsen, which also leads to problems with bowel movements.

If the reason is stress

Stress can cause bear sickness and constipation - both in the same person. In stressful situations, it is common to “eat” junk food, the microflora of the stomach and the production of digestive enzymes are disrupted, and constipation appears.

In such a situation, you can take Afobazol, Persen, Tenoten. The medications will help cope with stress and the stool will return to normal.

If the reason is poor nutrition

More than 35% of constipation is caused by poor diet. This means more fiber, fruits, vegetables, less fast food, salty foods, fatty foods and smoked foods, then bowel movements will occur by the hour.

In these cases, you need to get into a normal rhythm of life and the constipation will go away on its own. True, you should not endure more than four days. The stool may become very hard; this condition will have to be treated with laxatives.

Treat the folk way

If, despite preventive measures, you cannot get rid of constipation, folk remedies come second to the rescue:

First, food is called for help. Beetroot and prune salad, compote with prunes, fresh kefir, a spoonful of flaxseed oil help with constipation and relieve unpleasant symptoms. Seeds of dill, parsley, anise and fennel can relieve flatulence and constipation.
To treat intestinal problems and constipation, you can prepare the following mixture: pour half a kilogram of prunes with water (about 3 liters), simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Then cool the broth and add 200 ml of holosas. "Holosas" is a choleretic remedy made from rose hips. With the help of this remedy, the body removes toxins, improves the properties of bile, improves liver function, and treats constipation. You need to drink 1 glass of the mixture at night.
In the morning on an empty stomach, drink a glass of warm water with 1 tbsp. l. honey and 1 tbsp. l. lemon. This drink starts the intestines and cleanses the body of toxins.
Taking bran. Bran contains coarse dietary fiber, which swells in the stomach and helps move food through the intestines. In the morning you need to eat a tablespoon of granulated bran, washing it down with plenty of water. Taking bran in the morning will provide the body with fiber, help reduce cholesterol and sugar levels, and relieve constipation.
Massage for normal bowel function. Every morning, without getting out of bed, press on the hypochondrium on the right side. Then press the acupuncture point located 2 cm below the navel. Do both exercises 7 times.
If food products are powerless, you need to purchase a natural laxative. "Fitolax" contains apricot, a small percentage of senna, dill fruits and plantain leaves. Its mild laxative effect develops within 8 hours. You need to chew 2 delicious phytolax tablets at night. “Frutolax” is also a natural remedy made from prunes and figs. “V. Ogarkova Drops Forte No. 5” are ideal for people with “lazy” intestines; they contain fennel extracts, which can relieve flatulence, extracts of aloe, rose hips, nettle and licorice. Licorice contains mucus, which protects the gastric mucosa from irritation and softens stool.
Flaxseed flour. Flax seed is ground in a coffee grinder. One tablespoon of ground flax is added to yogurt or kefir in the morning. After a few days of such breakfasts, the stool should return to normal.
Taking microcellulose. It, like flax seeds and bran, is a bulking filler for the intestines. Such drugs are not absorbed and are difficult to digest, increasing the volume of feces and improving their movement through the intestines. These products have disadvantages; fillers cause bloating and sometimes intestinal cramps. Bulk laxatives are ineffective for loose bowel syndrome and impaired peristalsis. Microcellulose, flax seeds and bran are contraindicated during pregnancy and with irritable bowels; they are ineffective in bedridden patients. The use of natural laxatives is considered safe. You can drink them for a long time. And people prone to constipation should include flax seed in their daily diet.

Treating constipation with medications

It is advisable to consult a gastroenterologist before taking medications to rule out organic pathology of the digestive organs.

Preparations with lactulose

Preparations containing lactulose are recognized as the safest. They regulate the rhythm of the intestines. By increasing the volume, the drugs soften the stool. “Normaze”, “Lactulose”, “Duphalac” will not only relieve constipation. Lactulose is classified as a prebiotic.

This is a carbohydrate, the distinctive property of which is that it is not digested in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, it is able to reach the large intestine in its unchanged form. The drugs increase the production of normal microflora and improve liver function.

For constipation, adults are prescribed 15 ml lactulose in the morning once. Bowel movements will become regular after three days of taking the product.

Patients with chronic constipation can take lactulose preparations for a long time. If constipation is episodic, lactulose should be drunk in an amount of 45 ml, and after 8 hours the effect will definitely occur.

Drugs that can safely treat constipation include inulin and some fructooligosaccharides. These drugs cannot be classified as strong laxatives. But, with long-term treatment, they are able to restore intestinal functions

Suppositories with glycerin

Suppositories with glycerin (“Glycerol”, “Glycelax”) contain macrogol. It is able to soften stool. Due to filling with liquid, their volume increases. Emptying becomes more comfortable.

It is mainly used in patients who are contraindicated to strain during bowel movements - after strokes and heart attacks, during pregnancy and hemorrhoids.

Suppositories with glycerin are contraindicated for rectal tumors, bleeding, and exacerbation of proctitis. Directions for use: 1 suppository rectally, immediately after breakfast. Long-term use is not recommended, as the process of natural bowel function is disrupted.

Microclysters

"Mikrolaks" - rectal microenemas. Permitted for use in children over 3 years of age, elderly patients and pregnant women. The microclyster is administered rectally once. The effect develops from 10 to 30 minutes.

The combination of sodium citrate and sodium lauryl sulfoacetate has an irritating effect on the nerve endings of the intestines and dilutes the stool.

These substances are not absorbed into the blood and are not addictive even with long-term therapy.

These products are recognized as safe. Suitable for any age. Long-term and chronic constipation can be treated with medications.

Other medicines

If you don’t want to drink expensive lactulose for a long time, use suppositories and microenemas (this most often applies to men), strong laxatives are used. They have many unwanted effects and are not suitable for long-term treatment of constipation and its symptoms.

Magnesium sulfate

Perhaps the most powerful saline laxative. A single dose (20 g) is dissolved in a glass of water. Drink the freshly prepared solution. Effect in about 2 hours.

You should not leave the house at this time. Saline laxatives work powerfully. Magnesia is good for rare constipation.

By using osmotic agents for several months, you can “earn” cardiovascular failure. The drugs interfere with the absorption of potassium and magnesium - this leads to heart failure.

Long-term use of saline laxatives is unacceptable in children, since disturbances in water-electrolyte metabolism can lead to dehydration.

The sensations after taking magnesia are not pleasant - cramps, bloating, and it tastes very bitter.

Osmotic laxatives are able to retain water in the intestinal lumen. The stool softens.

The drugs increase the volume of intestinal contents and promote comfortable bowel movements. The drugs raise osmotic pressure by using water from the fatty tissues surrounding the intestines and plasma.

This causes a strong laxative effect of the drugs. The powerful laxative effect of salt remedies is used for poisoning.

Medicines containing bisacodyl (Dulcolax)

These can be suppositories and tablets. They help well with hemorrhoids, hypotonic and atonic constipation. If bowel movement is desired in the morning, take 1-3 bisacodyl tablets in the evening. The action develops over eight hours.

Side effects include colicky abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, rumbling and bloating. The suppositories begin to act after 4 hours.

Bisacodyl is the drug of choice for the treatment of constipation accompanied by hemorrhoids and anal fissures. Drugs are used before endoscopic examination. Prescribed for various diets.

Long-term use of drugs in this group leads to dehydration and intestinal atony.

Sena preparations

among them we can highlight “Senade”, “Glacsena”, “Thick senna extract”, “Senadexin”. The initial dose is 1 tablet at night, the effect develops after 8 hours.

If there is no bowel movement within 8 hours, the dose should be increased to 3 tablets.

Disadvantages of senna preparations: intestinal colic, flatulence, addiction. Suitable only for relieving symptoms and treating occasional constipation.

Buckthorn bark, joster fruit

Gastroenterologists do not like these drugs due to the lack of strict dosing and rapid addiction.

Products containing sodium picosulfate

Among them are “Guttalax”, “Slabilen”, “Regulax” and others. They are good because they do not cause colic and chronic diarrhea. The drugs “work” at the level of the colon, increasing peristalsis.

Macrogol

The pharmacy sells Lavacol, Fortrans, Forlax.

Macrogol is not absorbed into the systemic circulation. It does not cause addiction, disturbances in intestinal motility and dehydration. Therefore, macrogol-containing drugs can be used for up to three months.

Macrogol is well tolerated. It does not cause flatulence, pain, or rumbling in the stomach. His work is aimed at softening stool by increasing the fluid content in it.

The drug is drunk during breakfast, dissolving the sachet in water.

Contraindications to taking laxatives

Not every condition recommends taking laxatives. Some symptoms should alert the patient and force him to refrain from self-medication, and the doctor should take them into account when prescribing therapy. Contraindications include:

pain and spasms of unknown etiology;
acute proctitis;
stomach, intestinal and uterine bleeding;
gastrointestinal diseases in the acute stage;
intestinal obstruction;
strangulated inguinal hernia;
acute cystitis;
disturbance of electrolyte metabolism.

Constipation aids

Sometimes constipation is caused by diseases that are not at all related to intestinal motility. Then taking laxatives will not give a positive result and symptomatic therapy is needed:

Constipation can be the result of digestive disorders. In this case, enzymes will come to the rescue: “Pancreatin”, “Festal”, “Creon”, “Panzinorm forte”. The drugs improve digestion, facilitate the functioning of the pancreas and help with constipation. "Festal" contains bile, which improves liver function. And choleretic drugs often have a laxative effect. If large undigested food particles are found in the stool, there is nausea, heaviness in the epigastric region - it’s time to drink enzymes. They are prescribed 1-2 tablets (capsules) with each meal.
If constipation occurs due to impaired liver function, hepatoprotectors will come to the rescue. “Essentiale Forte”, “Essliver Forte” contain phospholipids that restore damaged hepatocytes, the liver begins to cleanse the body of toxins and stools are normalized. "Karsil" contains milk thistle extract. Milk thistle is used in the complex treatment of constipation. "Liv.52" is a hepatoprotector with a complex of herbs. It has a choleretic effect and helps with constipation.
Prebiotics and probiotics. "Hilak-Forte", "Linex", "Acipol" improve intestinal microflora and treat constipation and diarrhea caused by dysbacteriosis.

Constipation is often associated with decreased peristalsis. In this case, domperidone drugs are effective. "Motilak"

"Motilium" is a central blocker of dopamine receptors that can increase the tone of the lower alimentary sphincter and peristalsis of the antrum of the stomach. The drugs relieve flatulence, nausea, vomiting and, by improving peristalsis, relieve constipation.
Trimebutine "Trimedat" is an antispasmodic that helps with disorders associated with impaired gastrointestinal motility, including constipation and diarrhea.
Castor oil is an ancient laxative. It is used mainly on the eve of diagnostic procedures. Do not use frequently (course no more than 3 days) - complications may arise in the form of pancreatitis, nausea, etc.
Sunflower, olive, pumpkin and other vegetable oils. “They work” by lubricating the feces. You can use microenemas with oil.

There are many remedies for treating constipation. Your doctor will help you choose the right one. In any case, preference should be given to safe drugs, which include lactulose.

An even better option is to prevent constipation from becoming chronic. Proper nutrition and exercise will become faithful helpers against constipation.