As there's an increased risk of bowel cancer in older adults, your doctor may also request tests to rule out a diagnosis of cancer, including a computerised tomography CT scan or colonoscopy. Treatment for constipation depends on the cause, how long you've had it and how severe your symptoms are. Changes to diet and lifestyle are often recommended as the first treatment for constipation. In many cases, this will improve the condition without the need for medication.
Read about preventing constipation for more ways to change your diet and lifestyle. Laxatives are a type of medicine that help you pass stools. There are several different types of laxative and each one has a different effect on your digestive system.
Your pharmacist will usually start you on a bulk-forming laxative. These work by helping your stools to retain fluid. This means they're less likely to dry out, which can lead to faecal impaction. Bulk-forming laxatives also make your stools softer, which means they should be easier to pass. Commonly prescribed bulk-forming laxatives include ispaghula husk, methylcellulose and sterculia.
When taking this type of laxative, you must drink plenty of fluids, and don't take them before going to bed. It will usually be 2 to 3 days before you feel the effects of a bulk-forming laxative. If your stools remain hard after you've taken a bulk-forming laxative, your pharmacist may prescribe an osmotic laxative instead.
Osmotic laxatives increase the amount of fluid in your bowels. This softens your stools and stimulates your body to pass them. Commonly prescribed osmotic laxatives include lactulose and macrogols. As with bulk-forming laxatives, make sure you drink enough fluids. It will usually be 2 to 3 days before you feel the effect of the laxative.
If your stools are soft, but you still have difficulty passing them, your pharmacist may recommend a stimulant laxative. This type of laxative stimulates the muscles that line your digestive tract, helping them to move stools and waste products along your large intestine to your anus. The most commonly prescribed stimulant laxatives are senna, bisacodyl and sodium picosulphate.
These laxatives are usually only used on a short-term basis, and they start to work within 6 to 12 hours. According to your individual preference and how quickly you need relief, your pharmacist may decide to combine different laxatives. If you've had constipation for a short time, your pharmacist will usually advise you to stop taking the laxative once your stools are soft and easily passed.
However, if your constipation is caused by an underlying medical condition or a medicine you're taking, your GP may advise you to take laxatives for much longer, possibly many months or even years. If you've been taking laxatives for some time, you may have to gradually reduce your dose, rather than coming off them straight away.
If you have been prescribed a combination of laxatives, you'll normally have to reduce the dosage of each laxative, one at a time, before you can stop taking them. This can take several months. Faecal impaction occurs when stools become hard and dry and collect in your rectum. This obstructs the rectum, making it more difficult for stools to pass along.
Sometimes as a result of impaction, overflow diarrhoea may occur where loose stools leak around the obstruction. You may have difficulty controlling this. If you have faecal impaction, you'll initially be treated with a high dose of the osmotic laxative macrogol. After a few days of using macrogol, you may also have to start taking a stimulant laxative.
If you're pregnant, there are ways for you to safely treat constipation without harming you or your baby. Your pharmacist will first advise you to change your diet by increasing fibre and fluid intake. You'll also be advised to do gentle exercise. If dietary and lifestyle changes don't work, you may be prescribed a laxative to help you pass stools more regularly.
Lots of laxatives are safe for pregnant women to use because most aren't absorbed by the digestive system. This means that your baby won't feel the effects of the laxative. Laxatives that are safe to use during pregnancy include the osmotic laxatives lactulose and macrogols. If these don't work, your pharmacist may recommend taking a small dose of bisacodyl or senna stimulant laxatives. However, senna may not be suitable if you're in your third trimester of pregnancy, because it's partially absorbed by your digestive system.
Read more about constipation and other common pregnancy problems. If your baby is constipated but hasn't started to eat solid foods, the first way to treat them is to give them extra water between their normal feeds. If you're using formula milk, make the formula as directed by the manufacturer and don't dilute the mixture. You may want to try gently moving your baby's legs in a bicycling motion or carefully massaging their tummy to help stimulate their bowels.
If your baby is eating solid foods, give them plenty of water or diluted fruit juice. The best fruits for babies to eat to treat constipation are:.
Never force your baby to eat food if they don't want to. If you do, it can turn mealtimes into a battle and your child may start to think of eating as a negative and stressful experience. If your baby is still constipated after a change in diet, they may have to be prescribed a laxative. Bulk-forming laxatives aren't suitable for babies, so they'll usually be given an osmotic laxative.
However, if this doesn't work, they can be prescribed a stimulant laxative. For children, laxatives are often recommended alongside changes to diet. Osmotic laxatives are usually tried first, followed by a stimulant laxative if necessary. As well as eating fruit, older children should have a healthy, balanced diet , which also contains vegetables and wholegrain foods, such as wholemeal bread and pasta.
Try to minimise stress or conflict associated with meal times or using the toilet. It's important to be positive and encouraging when it comes to establishing a toilet routine. Allow your child at least 10 minutes on the toilet, to make sure they've passed as many stools as possible. To encourage a positive toilet routine, try making a diary of your child's bowel movements linked to a reward system. This can help them focus on using the toilet successfully. Constipation rarely causes any complications or long-term health problems.
Treatment is usually effective, particularly if it's started promptly. You may also have a stomach ache and feel bloated or sick. If you're caring for someone with dementia, constipation may be easily missed. It's important to be aware of any changes in their behaviour that might mean they are in pain or discomfort, although it's not always easy. Read more about dementia behaviour changes. Constipation in adults has many possible causes. Sometimes there's no obvious reason.
Constipation is also common during pregnancy and for 6 weeks after giving birth. Making simple changes to your diet and lifestyle can help treat constipation. You may notice a difference within a few days. Keep reading to learn about the time frame and symptoms to be concerned about, as well as some tips for maintaining bowel regularity. Most people notice a pattern in their bowel habits. People tend to poop at about the same time each day.
Doctors define constipation as pooping two or fewer times per week. If you experience constipation, you should treat it promptly. Otherwise, stool can back up in the intestinal system, making it harder to poop and causing you to feel sick. This is because everyone is different; people have different diets, different states of gastrointestinal health, and a host of different lifestyle factors that contribute to their regularity.
This requires medical attention before it becomes a medical emergency. Also, some people withhold stool or physically refuse to poop due to anxiety over using the restroom.
One extreme example is that of a young woman from the United Kingdom who passed away after eight weeks of not going to the restroom, according to The Independent. The stool caused her intestines to enlarge so significantly that they pressed on her organs and led to a heart attack. These include:. Researchers have discovered that not pooping affects not only the digestive system, but also the body as a whole.
Some of the complications associated with going too long without pooping include:. Things that contribute to constipation can include stress, diet, and lack of physical activity. Constipation occurs when people cannot pass stool as freely as they would like to, and it may cause symptoms including bloating and discomfort. How much, and how often should…. An enema is a procedure that involves emptying the bowels with liquid or gas.
People can use them in a medical setting or at home. Learn more about…. We look at some possible natural alternatives to laxatives for people looking to have a bowel movement. We also look at when to see a doctor. Normal time between poops. Medically reviewed by Saurabh Sethi, M. How long is safe? Risks and complications Treatments Causes Pregnancy Babies and children Summary We include products we think are useful for our readers.
How long can you go and still be healthy? Share on Pinterest A person should see a doctor if they experience severe or prolonged constipation. Risks and complications. Constipation during pregnancy. Babies and children. Latest news Could 'cupping' technique boost vaccine delivery? Scientists identify new cause of vascular injury in type 2 diabetes. Adolescent depression: Could school screening help? Related Coverage.
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