Most laxatives work within 3 days. They should only be used for a short time. Long-term constipation can lead to faecal impaction. This is where poo has built up in the last part of the large intestine rectum. The main symptom is diarrhoea after a long bout of constipation. Page last reviewed: 03 September Next review due: 03 September Check if it's constipation It's likely to be constipation if: you have not had a poo at least 3 times during the last week the poo is often large and dry, hard or lumpy you are straining or in pain when you have a poo You may also have a stomach ache and feel bloated or sick.
Read more about dementia behaviour changes What causes constipation Constipation in adults has many possible causes. The most common causes include: not eating enough fibre — such as fruit, vegetables and cereals not drinking enough fluids not moving enough and spending long periods sitting or lying in bed being less active and not exercising often ignoring the urge to go to the toilet changing your diet or daily routine a side effect of medicine stress, anxiety or depression Constipation is also common during pregnancy and for 6 weeks after giving birth.
Rarely, constipation may be caused by a medical condition. How you can treat and prevent constipation yourself Making simple changes to your diet and lifestyle can help treat constipation. It's safe to try these simple measures when you're pregnant. Make changes to your diet To make your poo softer and easier to pass: drink plenty of fluids and avoid alcohol increase the fibre in your diet add some wheat bran, oats or linseed to your diet Improving your toilet routine Keep to a regular time and place and give yourself plenty of time to use the toilet.
The condition affects twice as many women as men and is also more common in older adults and during pregnancy. Constipation isn't usually serious and can be treated by a pharmacist. Your pharmacist may recommend that you contact your GP practice if required. Also speak to your pharmacist if you think your child might be constipated. Laxatives are often recommended for children alongside diet and lifestyle changes. You may be able to treat constipation yourself by making simple changes to your diet and lifestyle see below.
If these changes don't help and the problem continues, you should see your pharmacist. This includes gradually increasing your daily intake of fibre, making sure you drink plenty of fluids, and trying to get more exercise.
If these aren't effective, your pharmacist may recommend an oral laxative medication that can help you empty your bowels. Treatment for constipation is effective, although in some cases it can take several months before a regular bowel pattern is re-established. Read more about treating constipation. Making the diet and lifestyle changes mentioned above can also help to reduce your risk of developing constipation in the first place.
Giving yourself enough time and privacy to pass stools comfortably may also help, and you should try not to ignore the urge to go to the toilet. Read more about preventing constipation. For most people constipation rarely causes complications, but people with long-term constipation can develop:.
Read more about the complications of constipation. Normal bowel habits vary from person to person. Some adults go to the toilet more than once a day, whereas others may only go every 3 or 4 days. Similarly, some infants pass stools several times a day, while others only pass them a few times a week.
It may also be more difficult to pass stools and you may feel unable to empty your bowel completely. Your stools may appear dry, hard and lumpy, as well as abnormally large or small. As well as infrequent or irregular bowel movements, a child with constipation may also have any of the following symptoms:. Constipation usually occurs when stools remain in the colon large intestine for too long, and the colon absorbs too much water from the stools, causing them to become hard and dry.
Most cases of constipation aren't caused by a specific condition and it may be difficult to identify the exact cause. However, several factors can increase your chances of having constipation, including:.
Constipation may sometimes be a side effect of a medicine you're taking. Common types of medication that can cause constipation include:. If constipation is caused by medication, the condition will usually ease once you stop taking the medicine. However, you shouldn't stop taking any prescribed medication unless your GP advises you to. Speak to your pharmacist if you have constipation that's caused by a medicine.
They may be able to advise you on how to treat the problem, or they might recommend you see your GP for an alternative medicine if appropriate. About 2 in every 5 women experience constipation during their pregnancy, mostly during the early stages. Constipation occurs during pregnancy because your body produces more of the female hormone progesterone, which acts as a muscle relaxant. The bowel normally moves stools and waste products to the anus by a process known as peristalsis.
This is when the muscles lining the bowel contract and relax in a rippling, wave-like motion. An increase in progesterone makes it more difficult for the bowel muscles to contract, making it harder to move waste products along. If you're pregnant, there are ways to safely treat constipation without harming you or your baby. Constipation in babies and children is quite common. It's estimated that up to 1 in every 3 children in the UK has constipation at any time.
Poor diet, fear about using the toilet and poor toilet training can all be responsible. Children who are over-fed are more likely to have constipation, as are those who don't get enough fluids.
Babies who have too much milk are also more likely to get constipation. As with adults, it's very important that your child has enough fibre in their diet. It's important that you don't make your child feel stressed or pressured about using the toilet.
It's also important to let your children try things by themselves when appropriate. Constantly intervening when they're using the toilet may make them feel anxious and may contribute to constipation. Some children can feel stressed or anxious about using the toilet. They may have a phobia about using the toilet, or feel they are unable to use the toilets at school.
This fear may be the result of your child experiencing pain when passing stools. This can lead to poor bowel habits, where children ignore the urge to pass stools and instead withhold them for fear of experiencing pain and discomfort.
However, if they do this, their condition will only get worse. In rare cases, constipation in babies and children can be a sign of an underlying condition, such as:.
Constipation is a very common condition. Your pharmacist won't usually need to carry out any tests or procedures, but will confirm a diagnosis based on your symptoms and medical history. Your pharmacist will ask you some questions about your bowel habits.
Don't feel embarrassed about discussing this with your pharmacist. It's important they're aware of all of your symptoms, so they can make the correct diagnosis. Your pharmacist may also ask questions about your diet, level of exercise and whether there have been any recent changes to your routines. If your pharmacist thinks you may have faecal impaction when dry, hard stools collect in your rectum , they may advise you to contact your GP for a physical examination.
See complications of constipation for more information about faecal impaction. A typical examination will begin with you lying on your back, while the GP feels your abdomen tummy. You'll then lie on your side while your GP carries out a rectal examination using a lubricated, gloved finger. Your GP will be able to feel for any stools that may have collected.
An internal physical examination rarely needs to be carried out on a child. Instead, the diagnosis can usually be made by feeling the child's tummy. If you're experiencing severe symptoms, your doctor may request further tests, such as blood tests or thyroid tests, to diagnose or rule out other conditions. 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.
If your constipation is severe and does not improve with changes to your diet and lifestyle, there may be other options that you can discuss with your doctor.
Surgery is the very last option. A wide range of laxatives are available, plus there are pro-motility drugs that a doctor can prescribe. Sometimes at-home remedies can bring relief, too, like dietary vegetable or mineral oil to lubricate the bowels.
If you think your bowel movements are not what you would consider normal, discuss it first with your primary care physician, who can talk with you about treatments or refer you to a specialist who can help get your bowels moving again. Learn more about vaccine availability. Advertising Policy. You have successfully subscribed to our newsletter.
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