Treatment of Chronic Constipation
Diet and Lifestyle Changes
- Increase the fiber in your food as it will increase the weight of stool and will make the passage easy through intestines. Add fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grain bread and cereals into your diet.
- Doctor may prescribe you to have 14 grams of Fiber for every 1000 calories in your daily diet
- Sudden start of Fiber may cause bloating, gas etc so start slowly
- Start Exercising as physical activity will increase the muscle strength and will make you fit. Consult with doctor about when, how and which exercises can be joined
Take and spare enough time for the bowel movements in the bathroom without any distractions or without feeling rushed.
Laxatives
Various kinds of laxatives are there ,consult surgeon to see what works best for you as per your problem
- Fiber Supplements- such as methylcellulose fiber (Citrucel)
- Stimulants- such as bisacodyl, Dulcolax
- Osmotics - oral magnesium hydroxide, magnesium citrate, lactulose.
- Lubricants- such as mineral oil enable stool to move through your colon more easily.
- Stool softeners - such as duphalax, dulcolax moisten
- Enemas and suppositories.
Glycerin or bisacodyl suppositories
Training your pelvic muscles /BIOFEEDBACK
The therapist will use a device to help you learn to relax & to tighten the muscle of pelvis. Relaxing pelvic muscle will help you to pass the stool more easily. Catheter - a special tube is inserted into rectum which will gauge your muscle tension & uses sounds and lights to help you understand when you have relaxed your muscle.
Electrical stimulation
This non - invasive ,non surgical treatment option helps to activate the muscles and nerves of the pelvic floor and can be extremely effective to treat chronic constipation
Surgery
If another treatments are tried but not proved effective, surgical treatment is done to stop chronic constipation caused by blockage, rectocele, anal fissure and stricture.
STARR (Stapled Trans-anal Resection of the Rectum) for the Obstructed Defecation Syndrome is one of the commonly done surgical management.