Laxative for bowel cleansing contributes to the proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, provoking an accelerated defecation process. The reasons for the failure of the intestines can be very different, ranging from malnutrition and ending with serious diseases. If you have problems like this, be sure to see a doctor, because only a qualified specialist can prescribe the right treatment for you.
It is worth prescribing a laxative to yourself to cleanse your intestines only if you are sure that the difficulty in stool is due to an incorrect lifestyle, and not serious diseases. Perhaps you eat fiber-poor foods, lead a sedentary lifestyle, or you have a disturbed daily routine. Constipation can also contribute to psychological problems and stress. The range of laxatives in pharmacies is large and diverse. Below is a general classification of medical devices that will help solve such a delicate problem. Do not take thoughtlessly chosen preparations for cleansing the intestines, listening to the advice of friends or relatives, because you can cause irreparable harm to your health.
All means for regulating the processes of the intestinal tract are divided into six types.
Emollient Laxatives
They are used to cleanse the small intestine. These drugs have detergent properties, that is, a fecal dissolving effect. The emollients group includes various oils, for example, almond and petrolatum, liquid paraffin, docusate sodium, etc. They are used to prevent constipation in people who have had surgery or myocardial infarction, in the postpartum period or with cracks in the anus and hemorrhoids.
Intestinal EnhancersOnce in the body, the active substances of the agent increase in volume and excrete the contents of the large and small intestines. The main composition of the drug is pectin or fiber. These elements are found in many fruits and vegetables, as well as cereals. This type of intestinal laxative for cleansing the intestines helps with constipation or poisoning, since fiber binds harmful substances, toxins and heavy metals. In pharmacies you can buy bran, flaxseed, methyl cellulose, agar-agar, which are of a laxative type.
Contact Laxatives
Their action is based on the chemical interaction of intestinal cell receptors and drugs. As a result, peristalsis is activated, and the contents of the intestine are removed from the rectum. Drugs of this type include: castor oil, rhubarb root, buckthorn, senna, Bisacodyl, phenolphthalein or sodium picosulfate.
Medicinal substances in enemas
Such funds are usually called microclysters, since their volume is 50-100 ml. Medicinal substances enter the rectum immediately with the rectal route of administration, where they are absorbed into the bloodstream and do not pass through the stomach, which eliminates their destruction. Usually, such a laxative for bowel cleansing is prescribed by a doctor.
Osmotic laxatives
Such drugs help cleanse the small and large intestines. Once in the body, they change the osmotic pressure in the lumen of the intestine, and its cellular epithelium stops absorbing fluid, as a result of which the contents of the intestine swell and increase in volume. As a result of this, pressure is created on the walls of the intestine, which stimulates increased defecation. Means that belong to this type of laxative: magnesium oxide, Karlovy Vary salt, sodium or magnesium sulfate, lactulose (Dufalac), Macrogol, Fortrans, Forlax, etc. The advantage of using osmotic drugs is that they not addictive and act very gently.
Other laxatives
These usually include tegaserod and prucaloprid, which are prescribed in the presence of irritable bowel syndrome, if treatment with other agents was ineffective.
Obviously, the methods of cleansing the intestines with medicines are very diverse, so it is imperative to consult with your doctor to select the option that is right for you.