But when you do have constipation, start with the gentlest and safest option, like a bulk-forming laxative. If laxatives don't work, ask for help. Wolf says. Bulk-forming laxatives draw water into stool, making it softer and easier to pass. But don't expect instant gratification: these can take a half-day to several days to provide relief. They are safe to use daily. They contain various ingredients, and you may have to try more than one to find the product that helps you with minimal side effects, such as flatulence and bloating.
They may be marketed as laxatives or as fiber supplements. Stool softeners add moisture to stools to make them softer and easier to pass. Mineral oil, a lubricant, helps stools "slide on by" if the stools feel stuck low in your bowels, if you have an internal tear or "fissure," or if you have pain from hemorrhoids during bowel movements.
Don't take mineral oil at the same time as stool softeners. Take 1 tablespoon at breakfast or lunch. But don't use it for more than a few days, because mineral oil interferes with absorption of some vitamins and if inhaled it can cause pneumonia. Consider wearing a protective pad in your undergarments to absorb any leakage. If the conservative route doesn't work, Dr. Wolf recommends the osmotic laxative MiraLAX or a generic version. These hold water in stool to soften it and increase bowel movements.
Common side effects are gas, bloating, and nausea. Another option that works for some people is diet candies containing the sweetener sorbitol. These essentially trigger a mild case of the runs. They're also available on prescription from a doctor.
Bulk-forming laxatives work by increasing the "bulk" or weight of poo, which in turn stimulates your bowel. Osmotic laxatives draw water from the rest of the body into your bowel to soften poo and make it easier to pass. These stimulate the muscles that line your gut, helping them to move poo along to your back passage. This type of laxative works by letting water into poo to soften it and make it easier to pass. It's difficult to know whether a particular laxative will work better than another.
It depends on the person. Unless there's a reason why a type of laxative may be more suitable for you than another:. Also see a GP if you're still constipated after trying all of the different types of laxative, or you think your child might benefit from taking laxatives. Before using a laxative, read about it in our Medicines guide or the patient information leaflet that comes with the medicine to make sure it's safe for you to take. Find out more about the considerations about laxatives.
Some laxatives have to be taken at certain times of the day, such as first thing in the morning or last thing at night. Ask a pharmacist for advice if you're not sure how to take your laxative. If you're taking bulk-forming or osmotic laxatives, it's important to drink plenty of fluids. This is because these laxatives can cause dehydration. Never take more than the recommended dose of laxatives as this can be harmful and cause side effects. If your constipation has not improved after taking laxatives for a week, speak to a GP.
After taking a laxative, you can make certain lifestyle changes to help stop getting constipated again, such as:. Nevertheless, the balance of scientific evidence suggests that laxatives do not cause any damage to the bowel and there is no evidence that using them puts you at risk of getting colon cancer. Sometimes doctors will advise people to take laxatives and some people do need them longer term, if your doctor has advised them, they are unlikely to be harmful in the long term.
Suppositories or mini-enemas are more predictable than laxatives and tend to be very well tolerated and effective. They are especially useful for people who have difficulty with needing to strain to evacuate their bowel. It may be best to use laxatives only with proper guidance. Taking laxatives does not result in weight loss, they work on the large bowel and most of the goodness from food is absorbed in the small bowel.
Taking high doses of laxatives long term can be harmful. If you suspect an eating disorder is the reason that you are taking excessive laxatives, please discuss this with your GP. If you remain troubled with constipation despite strict adherence to the measures described before, you may need further treatment. These can include:.
It can cause feelings of sluggishness and bloating, but there is no evidence that bugs or toxins leak from the bowel into any other part of the body. Another common idea is that constipation may lead to cancer but there is no evidence that long-term constipation increases the chances of getting bowel cancer.
It is important to remember that the vast majority of cases of constipation are easily resolved with simple diet, lifestyle or medication change.
However if constipation does not respond to different treatments there can be medium to long term effects including:. Guts UK is the charity for the digestive system. We are the only UK charity funding research into the digestive system from top to tail; the gut, liver and pancreas.
Visit our website to see our past and current research, or contact us for further information. This video from Colorado Children's Hospital about constipation is a great tool that the whole family will understand. Skip to content Search Menu Donate. Constipation Download printable version. Overview 2. Causes 3. Symptoms 4. Treatment 5. Complications 6. Support 7. This factsheet is about constipation Constipation is a symptom that can mean different things to different people, but the usual meaning is that a person has difficulty or infrequency with opening their bowels.
How do you know if you have constipation? Why does constipation occur? What are the causes of constipation? Pain, or fear of pain, on passing stools. What are the symptoms of constipation? Opening the bowels less than three times a week. Needing to strain to open your bowels on more than a quarter of occasions. Passing a hard or pellet-like stool on more than a quarter of occasions.
Experiencing a sense of incomplete emptying after a bowel opening. Needing to use manual manoeuvres to achieve bowel emptying. Read our factsheet on Irritable Bowel Syndrome. How is constipation diagnosed? If you also experience any of the following symptoms, you should see you GP immediately: Unexplained weight loss Bleeding in the stool nhs.
If your doctor has any concerns, they may organise one or more of the following investigations: Blood tests: these are usually to look for anaemia, thyroid hormone or metabolic problems. Flexible sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, barium enema or CT scan: these are tests which allow doctors to examine the lining of your bowel and are routine procedures which are extremely safe.
Bowel preparation is required prior to these procedures. Transit studies: a simple test involving an X-ray which shows the speed of passage through the bowel. A highlighting substance is ingested which shows up on X-ray.
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