Some Helpful Facts about Constipation
March 9th, 2009. Published under Health. No Comments.
When you have constipation, it means that you are unable to pass out stools for a couple of days. With constipation, stools are hard and dry. The consistency of the stool is caused by poor water absorption and improper diet. When you force yourself to defecate, the muscles of your anal sphincter might get irritated and injured causing blood in your stools.
Inadequate water intake and low consumption of fiber rich foods are often the predisposing factors for constipation. People with slower metabolisms are also at risk for having frequent constipation if they don’t start changing their lifestyle. Presence of obstructions in the gastrointestinal tract is also a factor for developing constipation. This is because stools cannot readily pass through therefore they accumulate within the large intestine. This causes a slight increase in your waist circumference and also gives a bloated feeling. This makes patients feel uncomfortable and often irritable.
In order to prevent constipation from happening, you need to make some lifestyle modifications. One thing would be eating the right kind of food and the right amount. Eat more of fruits and vegetables than meat and oily foods. Instead of eating pizza, try eating apples. Also, make it a habit to drink plenty of water especially if you’re the type who perspires a lot. This is to replace lost fluids and also to increase water absorption during digestion.
Another lifestyle modification necessary to prevent constipation is to increase your physical activity. By doing this you are enhancing your body’s circulation. Perform a simple 15 minutes of exercise and do it every day. By doing this, you are not only preventing constipation, but you are also maintaining a healthy body as well. Good circulation is indicative of a well functioning heart. Increased blood flow in the intestines also promotes digestion.
Usually the management for constipation is preventing it from happening. However, if constipation is caused by other factors such as illness, then the approach would be slightly different. For people who have developed constipation due to an operation, ambulation or encouraging the patient to move about is recommended. Administration of laxatives and stool softeners are also possible to relieve constipation.
Patients who have illnesses such as obstruction in the bowel are often advised by the physician to undergo colonic irrigation. An enema is administered to let the stool pass out. Some doctors would even prescribe laxatives so as to soften the stools.
A lot of foods are known to relieve constipation. Usually, these foods are rich in dietary fiber that aids in digestion. These foods should be eaten on a regular basis so as to keep the stool soft but formed. With constipation present, straining is most likely to be done. Straining is bad because it can trigger vagal stimulation causing the heartbeat to become slower. This condition is very risky and life threatening especially to elderly patients.
If you are having constipation for a long time, you should consult your physician immediately. Chronic constipation often causes other serious complications such as hemorrhoids from straining, indigestion due to feeling of bloated which is caused by collection of stools from within the large intestine.