How to soften feces with constipation? This question is mainly asked by those who are constantly suffering from constipation that has become chronic. The topic is very delicate, but important, because over time hardened feces can create a fecal cork, entailing consequences. In addition, solid excrement causes a lot of discomfort, is one of the main causes of hemorrhoids.
Causes
Improper nutrition is one of the main causes of hardening of feces, and also an inactive lifestyle. With dehydration, too tight or dry stools are also observed. Problematic emptying is most often chronic due to the fact that a person eats snacks, drinks food with tea or coffee, not water.
The main reasons for the hard stool include the following:
- binge eating;
- decreased intestinal activity;
- lack of fiber in the diet;
- taking certain medications;
- abuse of laxatives;
- drinking a lot of alcohol;
- the use of carbonated drinks;
- hormonal disbalance;
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Psycho-emotional problems or a depressive state can also cause a change in fecal structures. In the postpartum or postoperative period, constipation with dense stools is observed. With prolonged ignoring of the urge to defecate, for example, with hemorrhoids, fecal hardening is also diagnosed. In this case, a small constipation develops into a chronic ailment, the course of which can be significantly complicated. The longer bowel movements do not occur, the faeces become denser and harder, which in many cases leads to fecal plug formation.
Symptomatology
The intestine functions normally when its work is characterized by regular bowel movements, which occurs painlessly and easily. If the act of emptying is difficult or the stool occurs less frequently than once a day, then we can say that a person has constipation.
With intestinal stasis, the structure of feces can take the following forms:
- round feces, having a pea-shaped shape, go separately;
- the masses are dense and have a ribbed surface;
- feces are lumpy.
Acute constipation
The acute form of constipation can be attributed to those conditions when the hardened mass of feces is stuck in the intestine, and its exit is completely stopped.
The following symptoms are characteristic of this type of problematic stool:
- discomfort is felt in the rectum;
- there is a feeling of fullness in the lower abdomen;
- completely empty emptying;
- empty urge to empty.
Often, dense stools are accompanied by such a pathology, when constipation with solid feces is caused by an incomplete exit of feces accumulated in the intestines. The process is quite painful, since previously stuck feces pass through the intestines, they damage its walls and lead to rupture of the anus.
If, before emptying, one does not take measures to soften hardened excrement, the consequences of such constipation can be hernias, prolapse of the rectum, and the appearance of hemorrhoidal nodes.
Softening feces at home
Normalizing the structure of feces in the first place is possible, starting with adjustments to the diet. If you suspect hardened feces inside the intestine, you need to refuse food that can worsen the problem, and add more plant-based foods containing fiber to your diet.
Gastroenterologists recommend for constipation, which are accompanied by too dense feces, adhere to these recommendations:
- the diet should be filled with fresh vegetables;
- rice and semolina should be discarded;
- soups should be cooked on low-fat broth;
- you need to eat at least 5 times a day, but in small portions;
- exclude caffeine from the diet;
- eat fermented milk products that do not contain thickeners and flavors;
- it is necessary to add two to three drops of vegetable oil to the finished food.
Since dehydration can become the cause of hard stools, it is necessary to moisten the feces, for this you should drink at least 1.5 liters of water per day. You should drink pure water, as tea or coffee, on the contrary, can cause dehydration.
Laxatives
If the therapeutic diet has not yielded results, you can use a laxative, softening stool. Since all laxatives have a number of contraindications, they must be drunk with caution. For example, you can not take a fast-acting laxative with hard feces, since it does not help soften the stool, the output of feces can be accompanied by soreness and ruptures of the anus.
What kind of drugs to use to soften feces depends on how the pathological condition is started. When choosing a drug, the patient's age and the presence of any concomitant diseases should also be considered.
Stool softening preparations
There are several types of drugs for softening feces. Some of them are used rectally, others - orally. However, all of them have one goal - cleansing the intestines by softening and eliminating the accumulated feces.
If we talk about drugs in the form of tablets, then they are divided into:
- stimulating, which irritate intestinal motility and muscles;
- agents with a mild effect;
- voluminous;
- prebiotics.
Their difference lies in the time of exposure and influence on the fecal structure. With hardened feces, it is best to use bulk laxatives or mild drugs. Emptying occurs within 10-12 hours after their intake, during which time the feces become softer, and its release occurs easily and painlessly.
Such funds include:
- Guttalax
- Dufalac
- Lactitol
- Dulcolax;
- Mukofalk.
Since addiction to laxatives occurs quickly enough, it is best not to get carried away with them. If you regularly use them, the intestines will cease to work independently, and atony will occur. Also, you can not take more than one laxative pill per day, as this can lead to severe diarrhea, and this, in turn, will lead to dehydration.
Candles
Candles for softening feces are an excellent substitute for laxative tablets. The intestine is their immediate area of action. They are quite effective for functional constipation. If the cause of constipation is a disease of the gastrointestinal tract, the proper effect of the suppository will not come. In this case, it is better to use an enema or a laxative in the form of tablets, since the accumulation of feces occurs in the upper intestine. Mechanical obstructions in the intestines (scars, neoplasms) also will not give any effect from the use of suppositories.
Oil and enema
If medications did not give the desired effect, or if there are contraindications for their use, there is another way to soften the stool in the rectum - an enema. If constipation is not started, a hypertensive enema is used, which is aimed at leaching feces by introducing a specially designed solution into the intestine. This method is quite effective if the question arose about how to quickly soften the stool. Softening of feces occurs due to the fact that salt water increases the osmotic pressure, because of this their release occurs painlessly and freely.
Constipation of a running etiology
To soften feces with such constipation, it is necessary to use an oil enema. The effect of it is not so fast, but for the complete softening of solid feces, this is ideal. Only warm oil should be poured into the intestine; its temperature should be 37 degrees. This will relax the intestinal muscles and relieve spasm. With pathogenic constipation, this is very important. Enema should be done carefully and adhere to all recommendations.
How to prevent stool hardening
Most often, hardening of fecal matter occurs due to intestinal dysfunction. So that the stool does not have time to accumulate and regularly leaves, it is necessary to make sure that the emptying is daily.
For problematic intestines, these recommendations should be followed:
- the diet should be filled with foods that soften feces;
- the use of flour products should be reduced to a minimum, the baked goods consumed should be stale;
- at least one and a half liters of clean water should be consumed per day;
- exclude spicy, fried, fatty foods from the diet;
- eat more fresh fruits and vegetables (except for legumes, pears, grapes and persimmons);
- dried fruits (especially dried apricots and prunes) should be present in the diet;
- in a daily diet, there must be boiled beets with vegetable oil;
- the day should start with a light charge.
If constipation is associated with gastrointestinal disease, prevention should not only consist of proper nutrition, but it is also necessary to get rid of the root cause that leads to intestinal dysfunction. This therapy should be carried out exclusively under the supervision of a specialist and with the use of medications.