Constipation - one of the most urgent problems of the elderly population due to age peculiarities - is a violation of bowel movements in the form of lack of stool daily, its frequency is less than three times a week. It is accompanied by:
- a feeling of incomplete purification;
- tension, occupying at least a quarter of the time of the act of rectal release (bowel movement);
- dense consistency of feces and its small amount.
Causes of constipation in the elderly
In old age, the occurrence and worsening of constipation may be due to:
- natural age-related changes: progressive depletion of the muscles of the pelvic floor, decreased sensitivity of the anal sphincter and the rate of tissue repair (healing), hypoxia (lack of oxygen in the body);
- typical diseases of the elderly: parkinsonism, atherosclerosis, depression, hypercalcemia (increased concentration of calcium in the blood);
- insufficient intake of wholesome food and fluid in a volume less than the daily norm;
- abuse of laxatives;
- sharp muscle weakness (adynamia);
- decreased thyroid activity (hypothyroidism);
- the progression of existing diseases (multiple sclerosis, diabetes mellitus, spinal disorders);
- the use of drugs to treat existing diseases;
- a sedentary lifestyle, poor physical activity, contributing to the inhibition of intestinal motor function;
- psychological reasons.
Treating constipation: where to start?
The treatment of constipation in the elderly is aimed at normalizing the consistency of the stool and achieving systematicity in bowel movements, so it should be started with the use of a set of non-drug methods.
First of all, it is the normalization of the nutritional diet and water balance. Elderly people often do not indulge themselves with tasty and wholesome food and eat mainly cereals, potato dishes and pasta, which is insufficient for the body to fully perform its functions, because such food does not contain enough vitamins and dietary fiber (natural ballast substances).
They, being in a liquid medium, stimulate peristalsis and increase the volume of intestinal contents. Therefore, dietary fiber must be present in food, subject to the conditions of fluid intake, not less than one and a half liters per day. Otherwise, they will serve as sorbents, that is, absorb fluid from the intestine, leading to increased constipation.
A good laxative that an older person should accustom themselves to is a morning glass of water drunk on an empty stomach (a kind of “internal” shower that starts the intestines).
Vegetable oils are effective laxatives
To cause normal bowel movements, you can use oils (olive, petroleum jelly, almond, fennel, paraffin); the action of laxatives is aimed at mitigating and promoting feces. Reception is required to be performed on an empty stomach (you can take 5-10 minutes after drinking water) for an incomplete tablespoon. Desires for emptying occur within a few hours. As a side effect, irritation in the perianal region can be observed. The use of oils should be short-lived; abuse can lead to damage to the intestinal mucosa, liver, and digestive organs.
An associated step to get rid of problems with bowel movements is to increase motor activity: dosed gymnastics, physical exercises to the extent that a person is able to perform them due to his age, walks in the fresh air.
In combination with observing the regimen of the day, physiotherapeutic procedures that stimulate peristalsis, and superficial massage of the abdomen, this complex can save an elderly person from problems with bowel movements.
Laxatives for constipation for the elderly
Constipation can be a side effect of the underlying disease (for example, hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus) and may be caused by the medications you are taking. In this case, the negative effect of drugs for the underlying disease should be reduced, although this does not guarantee the full elimination of problems associated with bowel movements.
Most retirees believe that laxatives for constipation for the elderly are the widely publicized and affordable drugs available in every pharmacy. Of course, this is the easiest way to solve the problem, only this solution is one-time in nature, and the relief received will be only temporary. The constant use of laxatives, which the majority of the elderly population is prone to, considering it the most effective measure to eliminate constipation, is addictive and develops an "inert" (otherwise - "lazy") gut. That is, when receiving fast-acting medication laxatives, the intestine refuses to work independently, which as a result leads to the absence of urges and the need to cope with the need in a natural way. A person becomes dependent on laxatives, because without their reception, defecation does not occur.
Who are laxatives recommended for?
Laxatives for the elderly (medications) are prescribed by the doctor in case the other methods are not effective. Such drugs are the best option for people who are contraindicated in the increase in intra-abdominal pressure when straining due to existing aneurysms, venous thrombosis, hernias, rectal cracks, myocardial infarction, hemorrhoids, severe arterial hypertension, rectal prolapse.
Strong laxatives are also prescribed if it is not possible to cancel constipation-prescribed medications (antidepressants, antiparkinsonian drugs, opiates for chronic pain). Short courses of laxatives can also be recommended when preparing the intestines for examination, as well as in the pre- and postoperative period. For the remaining categories of the elderly, the administration of laxatives is performed with the ineffectiveness of non-drug methods; in this case, the choice of medicine should be carefully justified.
Types of medical laxatives
According to the mechanism of functioning, laxatives of rapid action can be divided as follows:
- Excipients that increase the volume and pressure of feces on the intestinal walls by drawing water from the lumen of the intestine, resulting in emptying. The basis of such preparations are indigestible components: bran, methyl cellulose, flax seeds, sea kale and other ingredients.
- Osmolytics , which contain substances that hold fluid in the intestines due to the formation of osmotic pressure. By delaying the water that comes with food and preventing it from being absorbed into the intestinal walls, such drugs help to thin the feces and increase their volume, which facilitates emptying. Such laxatives are not addictive, but they can not be used for longer than 3 months, because this is fraught with disturbances in electrolyte metabolism in the body and cardiovascular problems. Osmolytics include Karlovy Vary salt, polyethylene glycol, fortrans, magnesia.
- Irritants , the principle of action of which is based on chemical irritation of the intestine with the aim of enhancing its peristalsis (reducing the walls of the intestine, contributing to the movement of its contents down to the anal passage). The main component of irritants are components of plant origin, which have laxative properties: joster fruits, rhubarb root, buckthorn bark, senna leaves. On the basis of these plants, such drugs as Dulcolax, Guttalax, Regulax, Elimin are produced.
- Prebiotics are the most suitable laxatives for constipation for the elderly. These are oligosaccharides, lactulose, inulin, which contain the necessary bifidobacteria and lactobacilli and make up for their lack in the intestines. They help restore the bacterial balance of the intestinal flora and improve digestion.
Unfortunately, these laxatives, the reviews of which are obsessively positive and sound in all media, do not solve the root of the problem, but are part of a comprehensive treatment in combination with other drugs, which are aimed at irritating the intestinal wall or increasing the volume of its contents by water retraction. Defecation occurs after about 2 hours after taking the drug. The most common means:
Use prebiotics, the most harmless laxatives for constipation for the elderly, can be for a long period, so they are prescribed for chronic and acute constipation. At first, flatulence is possible, which eventually passes. The advantage of prebiotics is the absence of side effects, stimulation of the activity of beneficial flora and peristalsis, as well as a long-term positive effect. The disadvantages include the incomplete elimination of problems with bowel movements.
In any case, before using a quick laxative, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the annotation for dosage and restrictions.
Products that accelerate bowel cleansing
The desire to get rid of constipation in a quick way is normal, but do not grab for potent laxatives, the reviews of which are exceptionally positive due to the hype. So you can only harm the body. A soft and gradual approach is better, in which preference should be given to proper nutrition. Elderly people with a tendency to stool retention should develop a habit of eating foods - laxatives to cleanse the intestines, which contain a large number of pectins, coarse fibers and fiber. It:
- prunes, grapes, plums;
- fresh apples, kiwi (preferably on an empty stomach, 2-3 pieces);
- Kombucha drink
- fresh vegetables: cabbage, cucumbers, carrots, zucchini, salad;
- apple, carrot and plum juice;
- sea kale;
- bran mixed with any food in an amount of 30 grams.
Kefir is the most affordable and useful medicine
Kefir is an affordable tool, the use of which is also recommended to be a habit. A glass of kefir in combination with a spoon of vegetable oil, drunk before bedtime, will correct the intestines in the right direction. Important: the product must be fresh (ideal if it is home-made). Three to four-day kefir can cause a reverse, reinforcing reaction.
In case of defecation disorders, before using advertised pharmacy drugs, you should try folk laxatives for constipation, recommended even by medical specialists, because most of the medicines are based on old, time-tested recipes. The advice of a doctor in this case will be desirable, since the effectiveness of the drug depends on the type of constipation.
Laxative healing decoctions
You can get rid of problems with bowel movements with the help of decoctions and infusions, which have a calming and stimulating effect.
- Accessible and easy to prepare a decoction of raisins - a good laxative, pleasant to taste. A spoonful of raisins need to pour 300 ml of boiling water, insist in a thermos and drink daily 100 ml. The preparation and use of a gooseberry decoction will be similar.
- Lingonberry infusion is an equally effective laxative. Berries need to be filled with sugar, leave for 3-4 weeks. In the resulting syrup during this time, you need to add alcohol (in a ratio of 500: 25 ml). Before use, the infusion must be diluted with water and drunk on an empty stomach every morning. This is an excellent tool to restore the independent work of the digestive tract.
- Prune drink is a herbal laxative that has a pleasant taste and a high percentage of effectiveness in combating constipation in the elderly. To prepare it, half a kilogram of this product is required, pour 3.5 liters of water and boil for half an hour on low heat, then cool, pour 50 grams of buckthorn bark and boil again for 25 minutes. Cool, strain and add to the resulting composition 200 grams of syrup from rose hips - “Holosas”. It is recommended to take the resulting composition before bedtime in half a glass.
- Laxatives for bowel cleansing are various decoctions. For example, from senna leaves (30 g), licorice root (10 g), anise fruits (10 g), buckthorn bark (25 g), joster berries (25 g). All components must be crushed, mixed, pour a glass of boiled water, insist 20 minutes, and then strain. Take 100 ml before bedtime.
- As a tasty medicine against constipation, you can try the following dessert. Raisins, dried apricots, prunes, dates, figs, taken at 0.5 kilograms, must be soaked in water, dried, grinded through a meat grinder until a homogeneous mass is formed, to which add honey in an amount of 5 tbsp. spoons. The finished mixture should be stored in the refrigerator and consumed in the morning and evening in half a tablespoon.
- Flax seed, which contains soluble and insoluble fiber, fatty acids and mucus, helps relieve inflammation of the digestive tract - an excellent tool in the fight against constipation. You need to brew a teaspoon of seed in a glass of boiling water, insist for 4-5 hours. Before going to bed, the composition along with the seeds is required to drink. You can also take 2-3 times a day for a tablespoon of seeds, washed down with water diluted with a spoon of honey. This is required to prevent the formation of heavy lumps.
Almighty aloe is a great helper in the treatment of constipation
An excellent result is shown by folk laxatives for constipation from aloe juice, especially if the defecation is chronic. It is required to drink aloe juice for 1-2 tsp. half an hour before meals up to 3 times a day. The course of treatment is from 1 to 2 months.
In combination with honey, this medicine will be not only useful, but also delicious. To prepare it, you need to squeeze the juice from the leaves of the agave, which has not been watered for 2 weeks, and mix it with honey. The resulting composition should be taken on an empty stomach 2 times a day (in the morning and evening), washed down with water.
The consequences of ignoring and not treating constipation can be chronic intoxication of the whole organism due to poisoning by toxic substances contained in feces. At the same time, proliferation of putrefactive bacteria occurs in the intestine, which causes the formation of gases and, as a result, bloating, shortness of breath, circulatory disorders and the occurrence of heart pain.
Prevention of constipation in the elderly
To prevent constipation in the elderly, it is recommended to follow a balanced diet, a meal regimen (at the same time), drink at least a daily norm of water (from 1.5 liters) and move more: walks in the fresh air and physical exercises in as far as it turns out.