Complete Constipation Information

DEFINITIONS
Constipation (Constipation) is a state where someone is having difficulty defecating or infrequent bowel movements.

Acute constipation starts suddenly and clearly visible.
Chronic constipation (chronic), it is unclear when to start and persist for several months or years.

CAUSE
Constipation is often caused by changes in diet or reduced physical activity.

Medications that can cause constipation are:
- Aluminum hydroxide (in-the-counter antacids)
- Salt bismuth
- Salt iron
- Anticholinergics
- Medicine for high blood pressure (anti-hypertensive)
- Group of narcotics
- Some tranquilizers and sleeping pills.

Acute constipation can sometimes be caused by serious conditions, such as:
- Blockage of the large intestine
- Reduced blood flow to the colon
- Injury to nerves or the spinal cord.

Lack of physical activity and too little fiber in the diet is a cause that is often found in chronic constipation.
Other causes are:
- Lack of thyroid gland activity (hypothyroidism)
- High blood calcium levels (hypercalcaemia)
- Parkinson's disease
- Reduction in the contraction of the colon (colon inactive)
- Malaise (discomfort) at the time of bowel movement (defecation).

While psychological factors play a role in acute constipation and chronic constipation.

SYMPTOMS
Patients with constipation have a hard stool, which may be difficult to remove.

Patients also felt the rectum has not completely empty.

DIAGNOSIS
Diagnosis based on symptoms.

TREATMENT
If constipation is caused by an illness, the illness must be treated.
If not found in other diseases as the cause, prevention and best treatment for constipation is a combination of exercise, diet rich in fiber and use of appropriate drugs for a while.

Vegetables, fruits and whole grains are good sources of fiber.
To be able to work well, fiber should be consumed with large amounts of fluid.


DRUG-laxatives

Many people use laxatives (laxatives) to relieve constipation.
Some medications are safe to use in the long term, other medicines may only be used occasionally.
Some drugs used to prevent constipation, another drug used to treat constipation.

Class of drugs commonly used laxatives are:

1. Bulking Agents
2. The stool softener
3. Mineral Oil
4. Osmotic Materials
5. Incentives laxative.



Bulking Agents.

Bulking agents (wheat, psilium, calcium polikarbofil and methylcellulose) can add fiber in the stool.
The addition of these fibers would stimulate the natural contractions of the intestines and feces of a fibrous softer and more easily removed.

Bulking agents act slowly and is the safest drug to stimulate regular bowel movements.
At first given in small quantities.
The dose is increased gradually, until the achieved regularity in bowel movements.
People who use these materials should always drink plenty of fluids.

The stool softener.

Dokusat will increase the amount of water that can be absorbed by the stool.
Actually, this material is a detergent that lowers the surface tension of the stool, allowing water to easily penetrate the stool and making it more tender.

Increasing the amount of fiber will stimulate the natural contractions of the colon and helps soften the stool so it is more easily removed from the body.

Mineral oil.

Mineral oil will soften the stool and makes it easier to get out of the body.
But this material will reduce the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. And if someone is in a state of weak inhaling mineral oil by accident, there could be a serious irritant in the lung tissue.
In addition, mineral oil can also leak from the rectum.

Osmotic material.

Materials osmotic push large amounts of water into the colon, so that faeces become soft and easily removed.
Excessive fluid also stretches the walls of the colon and stimulate contractions.

These laxatives containing salts (phosphate, sulfate and magnesium) or sugar (lactulose and sorbitol).
Some contain sodium osmotic material, causing retention (detention) fluid in patients with kidney disease or heart failure, especially if given in large quantities.

Osmotic material containing magnesium and phosphate partially absorbed into the bloodstream and dangerous for people with kidney failure.
These laxatives generally work in 3 hours and better used as a treatment rather than prevention.
This material is also used to empty the bowel before the x-ray examination of the digestive tract and before colonoscopy.

Incentives laxative.

Stimulant laxatives directly stimulate the colon wall to contract and release its contents.
These drugs contain substances that can irritate, such as senna, kaskara, phenolphthalein, or castor oil.

These drugs work after 6-8 hours and produce semi-solid stools, but often causes abdominal cramps.
In the form of suppositories (drugs inserted through the anus), will work after 15-60 minutes.

Long-term use can cause damage to the large intestine, also a person can become dependent on these drugs so that the bowel becomes lazy to contract (Lazy Bowel Syndromes).

These laxatives are often used to empty the colon before the diagnostic process and to prevent or treat constipation caused by drugs that slow contractions of the colon (eg narcotics).

PREVENTION
The best prevention for constipation is a combination of regular exercise and foods rich in fiber.