Worried that there is no urge for the toilet for the most part? This is a fairly common pathological condition. The normal frequency of bowel movements is considered to be from 1 to 3 times a day. Deviations from the norm are detected in the form of constipation and diarrhea. Certain types of constipation are accompanied by a lack of urge to defecate. The symptom is characteristic of atonic types of constipation. Sometimes, to eliminate constipation, it is enough to introduce fresh vegetables and fruits, dried fruits, as well as various cereals (except rice) and dairy products into the diet.
If there is no urge to the toilet for the most part, the reasons are important to find out and start timely treatment. After all, a delay in feces can cause intoxication of the body and problems with the digestive tract.
Why is there no urge to defecate in children?
The reason for babies is the defectively formed digestive tract. Constipation in young children can occur as a result of an improperly organized diet, failure to comply with the basic principles of feeding or an improper diet of the mother.
If the child receives artificial nutrition, it is necessary to dilute the mixture according to the ratio specified by the manufacturer, so that insufficient water does not cause the baby to have bowel movements.
When the urge to the toilet for the most part in children has disappeared, this can be caused by:
- taking certain drugs (antibiotics, iron preparations);
- teething period.
The pathological condition in children is manifested by bloating, pain and discomfort in the peritoneum, lack of appetite. The temperature basically remains normal.
The reasons for the lack of urge to defecate in adults
Why there is no urge to the toilet for the most part - a very serious question. As in children, constipation in adults is often caused by dietary habits. If the menu does not include a sufficient amount of foods rich in fiber, and the body does not get the right amount of water per day (daily intake of up to 2.5 liters), constipation may develop. The condition often appears in people who eat bread and pastries, polished rice, sausages, cheese, salt products, coffee and cocoa in large portions.
In many patients, lack of urge to defecate is due to lack of exercise. A person leads a sedentary lifestyle, which leads to a decrease in the tone of the intestinal muscles, which are involved in the process of moving the food lump, and then the feces, in the direction from the duodenum to the rectum. Feces, lingering in the intestines, become the cause of intoxication, as absorption continues, and along with the liquid harmful chemicals (lazy intestines) enter the bloodstream. When the patient leads an active lifestyle, contractions of the striated muscles of the limbs and trunk activate the activity of the smooth muscles of the intestines, providing a normal bowel movement.
Desires for bowel movements may also be absent with:
- Ignoring the urge to defecate. If the phenomenon is periodic, then after some time the urge may disappear.
- Regular intake of specific groups of drugs, especially laxatives. The constant use of these drugs leads to the fact that the patient can not do without medications.
- The presence of concomitant diseases. The lack of urges is often fixed in case of problems with the endocrine system (diabetes mellitus, hormonal imbalance, thyroid disease). Constipation accompanies diseases of the digestive tract (diverticulosis, adhesions after surgery or inflammatory processes). The urge to the toilet may not appear after severe stress and depression, when the nervous system is affected.
- The presence of mechanical obstruction in the intestine. They can be neoplasms, adhesions, scars, hemorrhoidal nodes, tumors, polyps. Such changes lead to stretching of the intestinal walls, they lose elasticity - and feces accumulate inside.
- Pregnancy, when the uterus increases, and the hormonal balance is disturbed. Under the influence of progesterone, smooth muscles relax, causing lazy bowel syndrome.
- The postpartum period, when intestinal motility is reduced. This is due to muscle weakness after pregnancy and childbirth.
The condition in adults is detected by constipation, bloating and a feeling of heaviness in the abdomen, bad breath and loss of appetite, a feeling of dry mouth. Late signs of pathology can also be dry skin, hair, brittle nails.
What to do if there is no urge to defecate?
So how to cause urge to the toilet for the most part, because their absence for a long time can cause a deterioration in the well-being of the patient? The patient may complain of flatulence, pain of varying intensity, weakness. The skin becomes pale, possibly an increase in body temperature, the appearance of headaches. In the intestinal lumen, fermentation and decay of food residues is recorded.
A condition is considered dangerous when the absence of urges to empty is accompanied by symptoms of intoxication. In such cases, you must urgently seek medical help. Patients in stationary conditions as a first aid do gastric lavage using Esmarch's mug. At home, you can make an enema with a large volume of water, adding a small amount of bonfire oil to the liquid, which has a laxative effect.
Lack of treatment can cause intestinal obstruction. The problem is solved by urgent hospitalization and surgery, since there is a risk of death.
If constipation occurs periodically, preventive measures, dietary adjustments, and, in some cases, the use of drug therapy are required.
Complications of Bowel Atony
Delayed stool and a defective bowel movement for a long period lead to serious organ and system dysfunctions. Often this condition causes the development of recurrent colitis or damage to the final zone of the gastrointestinal tract.
The absence of bowel movement also leads to digestion, the occurrence of enteritis as a result of casting a solid intestinal mass into the cavity of the cecum. The clinical picture may be complicated by hepatitis, problems with the biliary tract and with the rectum, the appearance of neoplasms in the digestive tract.
Treatment
If you do not feel the urge to the toilet for the most part, it is not recommended to self-medicate. If defecation is delayed for 3 days, and even more so for a week, you should consult a doctor and, after a thorough examination, identify the cause of the condition. Therapeutic tactics are selected depending on the cause of the constipation.
For treatment, apply:
- local funds;
- preparations for oral administration;
- enemas.
Physical therapy and isometric (breathing) exercises are effective.
Local preparations
Rectal suppositories, due to their composition, irritate the mucous membrane and smooth muscles of the intestine. They cause organ contraction, and after a certain time, emptying occurs. Suppositories can not be used constantly or for a long time to avoid getting used to them.
In most cases, glycerol suppositories are used ("Bisacodyl", "Microlax").
Medications for oral administration
Medicines are used in the form of powders, tablets and syrups. Lactulose-based products are considered safe, which can be used during pregnancy. They soften feces, facilitate their passage in the intestinal lumen. The impact of such drugs is mild, the effect appears 12 hours after administration.
Prescribe the drug "Bisacodyl" in tablets, but this tool has a number of contraindications, it is not allowed to use for children and pregnant women.
Doctors also prescribe choleretic drugs, the action of which is aimed at normalizing the digestive process and the act of emptying. Effective drugs include Allohol, Hofitol, herbal preparations.
To normalize digestion, it is recommended to take the preparations "Bioflor", "Bifidumbacterin" and its analogues. These tools provide the body with bacteria that activate the digestive process. Use them to treat patients after strict diets or in the postpartum period.
Enema
Perform a cleansing enema at home or in a medical facility using an Esmarch mug. After the procedure, the patient should lie on his side until the urge to defecate (3-5 minutes).
Special diet
If there is no urge to go to the toilet, by and large, everyone should know what to do. Compliance with diet and dietary adjustment are prerequisites for the restoration of normal bowel movements, especially with chronic constipation.
The daily menu should include foods rich in fiber (vegetables, fruits), as well as products with a laxative effect (bread with bran, dried fruits, nuts). The use of products containing organic acids (citrus fruits, sauerkraut, fermented milk products) is recommended. Fish oil is also beneficial. About 2.5 liters of fluid should be drunk per day.
Heavy and difficult to digest meals, foods with a low fiber content (flour products, rice, potatoes) should be excluded from the diet; foods that cause flatulence (legumes, sorrel, white cabbage) should not be consumed.
When there is no urge to go to the bathroom for the most part, this can be a signal of a serious illness. Ignoring pathology or self-medication can lead to an aggravation of the patient's condition. In some cases, there is a risk of serious complications.