Constipation
Constipation is a nuisance to many people; it affects more than 20% of the world’s population. It is one of the most common health problems that patients visit to doctors. Constipation can be chronic if it lasts three months or is temporary. People, and constipation is known practically by patients with a lack of repeated defecation or difficulty in ability compared to normal habit used by the person, but scientifically is a disorder of the function of the bowel resulting in a disability to exit stool or lack of because of slow passage of food in the digestive tract; Lead to Say Less than three times a week, with the accompanying dryness and small size of the fecal mass, a feeling of unfinished evacuation, or the absence of excreta and its retention in the intestines.
Ways to get rid of constipation
For health conditions associated with constipation, people who use drugs that may cause constipation, or those with chronic constipation, they should consult a physician; for different treatment methods and treatment depending on the state of health or dosage. For people who have constipation without having Chronic health problem, a number of studies have been conducted on people suffering from constipation have shown a relationship between the occurrence of constipation and exercise, diet, and the amount of drinking liquids, so it is usually recommended to change the lifestyle and increase drinking fluids and exercise As a first treatment line, and laxatives are also used to treat constipation; however, frequent use of them can cause several side effects.
Diet
When a gastrointestinal problem such as constipation occurs, the diet must be reviewed. A study using the fiber-rich diet, published in the International Journal of Gastroenterology, showed a clear difference in people who consumed fiber-rich foods, Quit times compared to people who used placebo or placebo.
Fiber
Fiber is the edible part of the plant, such as fruits, vegetables, and grains, but the body does not digest them, but rather benefits them by type. If the fiber is soluble in water, it slows digestion and helps absorb nutrients , And if it is not soluble in water, it helps to form a mass of stool, which accelerates the passage of stool through the intestine, and therefore recommended consumption of fiber insoluble in water, which acts as a natural laxative in the case of constipation, which can be found largely in wheat bran, Whole wheat bread, and cereals.
Liquids
Several studies have been conducted to understand the relationship between low fluid consumption and constipation. A recent study in 2016 found that reducing the intake of water to 500 ml per day had a strong and clear effect on constipation in children aged 25-84 months ), And one study conducted in Spain in 2005 on 898 children aged 4 months to 15 years indicated that children who consumed less than four glasses of water per day were 73.4% constipated, and another study In China that children who consumed two cups of water were more likely to constipation Of the children who consumed three to five cups. As for liquids in general, a study conducted in Taiwan in 2011 found 1,426 children aged 10-18 years that reducing the daily consumption of fluids leads to an increased risk of constipation; The number of times of defecation to less than 3 times a week when reducing fluid consumption, and based on several other studies, it is recommended that the consumption of water is not less than four to eight glasses a day; this amount reduces the risk of constipation.
Playing sports
Despite the importance of exercise and its significant impact on the performance of all body organs, studies have conflicting on the strength of the impact of sport in the incidence of constipation; a study conducted in 2015 at the University of Nakazaki in Japan that the lifestyle in general had a good impact in the incidence of constipation , Without the allocation of exercise alone. On the other hand, recommended a study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, increasing the practice of motor activities; as sports or motor activity in general helped to improve and recovery from constipation, but did not directly affect the symptoms.
Causes of constipation
There are several factors that may lead to constipation, some of which are unavoidable but can be cured, such as age in the case of the elderly, or a motor disability, and others can be avoided. The most common is the unhealthy diet and lack of exercise.
Health conditions
As for the health conditions that may accompany the occurrence of constipation, they include the following:
- Irritable bowel syndrome.
- Pregnancy.
- Travel.
- Diseases of the digestive system.
- Hormonal disorders.
- Loss of body salts.
- Nerve damage.
Constipation medications
Some drugs contain compounds or components that cause constipation. These include:
- Antacids; for containing aluminum.
- Antispasmodics.
- Antidepressants.
- Anticonvulsants used in the treatment of epilepsy.
- Sedatives, and painkillers.
- Food supplements containing iron.
- Anticonvulsants.
- Antihypertensive drugs inhibiting calcium channels.
- Constipation may result from misuse of laxatives that some people may use over the counter to lose weight, and may also be associated with drug use.
Symptoms of constipation
Although the bowel movement is different from one person to another, the passage of more than three days without movement leads to hardening of the contents. This makes the passage of the stool difficult and painful, so the need for an effort to defecate or feel The ability to completely empty the bowel is a form of constipation, so constipation is not a disease, it is a sign of the existence of a problem, and the symptoms vary from person to person, and the following are the most common symptoms:
- Inability to output or difficult to defecate for several days.
- Dry stool appearance.
- Abdominal distension.
- Abdominal cramps and pain.
- Feeling lazy.