Constipation, with its medical name, is a common disease of the modern age. In fact, it is possible to say that it is a condition, not a disease. It can be seen as a symptom of some diseases, or it can be seen alone and without any other disease. It is a common problem and people do not consult a doctor just for constipation.
What is Constipation?
The definition of constipation is not easy. Since the subject of defecation is a subject that is not talked about in daily life, people may not be able to evaluate clearly whether they have constipation.
The number of defecation: Each person has his own order. For example, between defecation once every three days and defecation three times a day is considered normal. However, the important condition of being able to say normal is the continuity of this order. To explain with an example, if a person who has defecated twice a day for years suddenly starts defecating every other day, although the frequency of defecation every other day is within the normal range, it can be considered as an indicator of an important problem. In order to talk about constipation, the person's normal defecation frequency should be known and the evaluation should be made accordingly.
Stool consistency: Unfortunately, people have very wrong information about defecation. Unfortunately, the concept of "dirty excrement", which was subconsciously placed in childhood, is seriously abused in the market. In this way, the idea that the stool should be soft or even liquid in consistency and that the person should be "cleaned" is placed in the minds.
However, the human organism is designed to make solid stools. In addition, it should never be forgotten that the stool described as "dirty" is a food source for our own cells in the inner surface of the large intestine. To summarize, we need to determine whether our patient who says he is constipated is actually constipated.
What are the Symptoms of Constipation?
There are two main reasons for patients with real constipation. One of them is the excessive hardness of the stool and the other is the difficulty in expelling the stool from the anus.
- Defecation less than 3 times a week,
- Brushing defecation,
- Hard or large pieces of defecation,
- Feeling that there is an obstruction in the rectum that prevents bowel movements,
- Feeling as if the rectum has not been fully emptied,
- Pressing the abdomen by hand to empty the bowel or emptying the stool from the rectum with a finger.
What are the Causes of Constipation?
In the absence of an underlying disease, constipation may occur as a dysfunction of the large intestine due to intense stress, excessive coffee and/or tea consumption. .In the patient who comes with the complaint of constipation;
- Existence of anal fissure (characterized by thin tears around the anus)
- Intestinal obstruction in prolonged (chronic) constipation,
- Especially in elderly patients and Colon cancer in people with a family history of colon cancer and/or polyps in the colon,
- Previous intra-abdominal surgery or intestinal narrowing (stricture) of unknown cause,
- Other intra-abdominal pressure that may press on the colon cancers,
- Rectum cancer,
- In female patients, the penetration of the rectum from the posterior wall of the vagina into the vagina (rectocele), should be investigated.
- Diseases involving the nervous system may also cause constipation.
- Parkinson's disease,
- Multiple sclerosis,
- Spinal cuts due to injuries (partial or complete cuts),
- Disruption in the control of the autonomic nervous system
- Stroke is some of these conditions.
- Inability to relax the pelvic muscles, which play a role in the harmonious progression of bowel movements (anismus)
- Again, disruption of the relaxation/contraction cycle of the pelvic muscles (dyssynergia),
- Weakening of the pelvic muscles in women who have had a large number of vaginal deliveries may also cause constipation.
- Diabetes, underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism), overworking parathyroid gland (hyperparathyroidism) and pregnancy are hormonal conditions that cause constipation.
What are the Risk Factors for Constipation?
- Advanced people,
- Female patients,
- Those with fluid loss,
- Low-fiber diets,
- People with a sedentary (sedentary) lifestyle
- People using certain drug groups that negatively affect bowel movements,
- People with eating disorders or depression are prone to develop constipation .
- Examination of the anal region,
- Fingeral rectal examination to check the presence of hemorrhoids,
How to Relieve Constipation? What Is Good for Constipation?
Nutrition and active lifestyle play a major role in both prevention and correction of constipation. Below you can find some simple nutritional recommendations with lifestyle changes. Avoid fast-food diets with bananas, pasta, rice, excess milk and coffee, which are known to cause constipation. Since white bread causes constipation, whole grain bread should be preferred.
- Consumption of constipation-relieving foods more: Eat high-fiber foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables. Fresh fruits such as apples, pears and plums are known to be good for constipation. Eating dried apricots, figs or prunes on an empty stomach in the morning and drinking warm water over it will help start your bowel movements. Red meat is a source of protein that causes constipation. It will be more suitable with chicken or fish as a protein source. Drinking 1 spoon of olive oil in the morning will support the passage of food through the intestines. Constipation does not improve as soon as you start consuming foods that are good for constipation. This kind of feed The incidence of constipation decreases after the sucker is placed as a habit. It is recommended that your daily water consumption be at least 1.5 liters
Do not delay when there is a desire to defecate during the day. Learn and develop healthy aspects of coping with daily stress (regular exercise, yoga, meditation, walking outdoors, etc.)
- Use of anticonstipation medications: Over-the-counter anticonstipation medications (laxatives or laxatives) are vulnerable to abuse. People with chronic constipation want to get rid of constipation with a medicine instead of natural ways and use laxatives without consulting a doctor. Since the underlying cause is not determined, the solution is temporary and constipation recurs. After a while, the drugs used begin to be not as successful as before, and the physician is consulted with chronic constipation. In addition, the balance of electrolytes (calcium, chlorine, magnesium, potassium, sodium) in the blood may be disturbed, causing dehydration, kidney damage, abnormal heart rhythm, weakness, sleepiness (confusion), stroke (stroke) and even death. . It should be known that laxatives (drugs that relieve constipation) are not innocent drugs that can be used indiscriminately.
Constipation exercises: Abdominal muscles support stomach and bowel movements. For this reason, abdominal exercises to be performed 1 hour before or 1 hour after a meal without forcing the abdominal muscles will help the intestines to work better. Bowel movements can be significantly increased by pulling the knees to the abdomen while standing or lying down, squatting on the floor and rising. Abdominal muscles can be exercised and bowel movements can be stimulated.
Laxative (Laxative) Treatment in Constipation
Laxatives are divided into groups according to their mechanism of action. These are:- Laxatives that enrich the stool in terms of fiber and increase the stool volume and facilitate expulsion (eg, methylcellulose),
- Laxatives that increase the contractile action of the intestines,
- Liquid in the gut Osmotic laxatives that accelerate the passage of stool in the large intestine by increasing its secretion,
- Lubricants (lubricants) (eg olive oil)
- Laxatives that soften the stool by drawing fluid from the large intestine into the stool,
- Enema with pressure using water
- Suppositories containing glycerin, for example, used to facilitate rectal discharge.
With the biofeedback method, training of the pelvic floor muscles required for a more comfortable passage during defecation can be provided. Constipation conditions without an underlying disease usually occur as a stress-related dysfunction and acupuncture is very useful in treatment.
Acupuncture; regulates the limbic system and regulates the functioning of the intestines.
Surgery may be used as a last resort in some cases. For example, relief of the sphincter and healing of the tear in patients with anal fissures who do not respond adequately to hot water sitting baths, or surgical correction of the obstruction or stricture in the large intestine.What are the Harms of Constipation?
Chronic constipation, long term The diameter of the remaining stool in the intestine expands. In addition, the muscles around the anus being constantly contracted and not being able to relax enough during defecation may cause the development of cracks (anal fissure) around the anus while trying to expel the stool. This leads to painful defecation. Patients try to delay defecation in order not to experience the same pain over time. This causes the vicious cycle of constipation to continue increasingly (chronic constipation).
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