For the time being, most people tend to neglect their own health. But there comes an hour of reckoning, and we begin to reproach ourselves for disrespect for our own body and try to correct the situation. In some cases, fortunately, this is what happens, but, unfortunately, it happens the other way around. Therefore, it is important that the moment of “insight” comes as early as possible.
One of the most common problems in our body is constipation. Moreover, it can appear in both adults and children. Is this a problem? Yes, definitely: along with constipation there are pains in the stomach, increased gas formation (flatulence), a constant feeling of discomfort. Untreated constipation can become chronic and cause hemorrhoids. From all that has been said, it is simply necessary to deal with constipation.
What to do with constipation. The first action.
First, make sure your problem is constipation. Under this concept, it is customary to understand systematic difficulties during bowel movements or stool retention for more than two days. There are three signs by which you can determine whether you are concerned about the situation - constipation or a physiological norm:
· A visit to the toilet room “for the most part” from three times a day to three visits per week;
· General well-being, lack of discomfort in the abdomen;
· The process of defecation is spontaneous, without effort, does not cause pain, after emptying the intestine there is no feeling that the intestine is only partially released.
If at least one of the signs for your situation is incorrect, then you can confidently talk about the occurrence of constipation.
What to do with constipation . The second action.
We make an assessment of intestinal tone, since therapeutic actions will depend on this: stimulation of the intestine or removal of spasms. There are atonic constipations (fecal bulky, the first part with difficulty leaving the rectum, causing pain; the remaining fecal masses pass easily) and spastic (fecal masses with constrictions, can be in the form of sheep feces, as a rule, they leave the rectum painlessly). In some cases, mixed types of constipation are observed (feces are dense lumps stuck together). With asthenic constipation, heaviness in the abdomen, a feeling of fullness of the stomach are observed. With spastic - sharp pains, colic, bloating.
What to do with constipation . The third action.
Next, we try to understand the cause of the phenomenon. If you just take laxatives, then the intestines, of course, will be freed. But since the reason itself remains (which we still don’t know about), the likelihood of constipation in the near future is extremely high.
The most common cause of constipation is poor nutrition and a lack of fluid intake. Improper nutrition should be understood as excessive consumption of fortifying foods (rice, milk, semolina, blueberries, strong tea, etc.). This problem is often faced by young mothers who, in order not to harm the baby, drastically reduce the list of consumed products. What to do. It is necessary to introduce into your diet a sufficient amount of liquid, food rich in coarse fibers, and fermented milk products. In addition, you need to eat in small portions 5-6 times a day at the same time.
The next reason is a lack of motor activity (characteristic of atonic constipation).
An equally serious reason is the habit of delaying going to the toilet for later. The signals about the need to empty the intestines, which enter the body, should not be ignored, because otherwise the signals simply stop coming in and you get neurogenic constipation.
Causes of constipation can also be stress and taking antibiotics.
What to do with constipation . The fourth action.
We eliminate the causes of constipation: we go to the toilet at the first call; drink at least 1.5 liters of fluid per day; include sour-milk and fiber-rich foods in the diet; we include physical activity in the day mode, you can start with a regular charge in the morning.
What helps with constipation, besides the above measures? Help, and quite quickly, can be provided by medicines, which are available in large quantities at the pharmacy. I must say that these agents do have a quick effect, but they all differ in the degree of impact on the body, so it is reasonable to use them only as directed by a doctor.
How to deal with constipation with medicines. Frequent constipation should be treated with mild laxatives. You can use drugs on lactulose - syrups "Dufalac", "Normase"; Powder Forlax, Exportal, Mukofalk. Their effect appears somewhat slower than from irritating laxatives, but they are gentle and not addictive. In addition, they are allowed even for use by young children and nursing mothers.
With atonic constipation, you can use drugs based on bisacodyl and senna, as well as drops of "Guttalax", "Slabilen", "Regulax".
For a quick effect, you can use glycerin agents, they can be used to treat atonic constipation in infants, pregnant and lactating mothers.
Oil enemas with vaseline, olive, and sunflower oil are also used.
With spastic constipation, it is useful to take thermal procedures (baths, heating pads on the stomach), they relieve cramps and move stool to the exit.