Advertisement

Thursday 6 March 2014

TREATMENT OF CONSTIPATION

Although treatment depends on the cause, severity, and duration of the constipation, in most cases dietary and lifestyle changes will help relieve symptoms and help prevent them from recurring.

Diet

A diet with enough fiber (20 to 35 grams each day) helps the body form soft, bulky stool. A doctor or dietitian can help plan an appropriate diet. High-fiber foods include beans, whole grains and bran cereals, fresh fruits, and vegetables such as asparagus, brussels sprouts, cabbage, and j carrots. For people prone to constipation, limiting foods that have little or no fiber, such as ice cream, cheese, meat, and processed foods, is also important.

Lifestyle Changes

Other changes that may help treat and prevent constipation include drinking enough water and other liquids, Mich as fruit and vegetable juices and clear soups, so as not 10    become dehydrated, engaging in daily exercise, and reserving enough time to have a bowel movement. In ADdition, the urge to have a bowel movement should not be Ignored.

Other Treatments

Treatment for constipation may be directed at a specific tissue. For example, the doctor may recommend discontinuing medication or performing surgery to correct an anorectal problem such as rectal prolapse, a condition in which the lOWer portion of the colon turns inside out. People with chronic constipation caused by anorectal this function can use biofeedback to retrain the muscles that control bowel movements. Biofeedback involves using a Miisor to monitor muscle activity, which is displayed on a MHnputer screen, allowing for an accurate assessment of body functions. A health care professional uses this Information to help the patient learn how to retrain these muscles. Surgical removal of the colon may be an option for people with severe symptoms caused by colonic inertia. However, benefits of this surgery must be weighed against possible implications, which include abdominal pain and diarrhea.

CAN CONSTIPATION BE SERIOUS?


Sometimes constipation can lead to complications. These Complications include hemorrhoids, caused by straining to
have a bowel movement, or anal fissures tears in the skin around the anus when hard stool stretches the sphincter muscle. As a result, rectal bleeding may occur,  appearing as bright red streaks on the surface of the stool. Constipation may also cause hard stool to pack then intestine and rectum so tightly that the normal pushing action of the colon is not enough to expel the stool. This condition, called fecal impaction, occurs most often in children and older adults. An impaction can be softened with mineral oil) taken by mouth and by an enema. After softening the] impaction, the doctor may break up and remove part of the; hardened stool by inserting one or two fingers into the anus.

DOS AND DONTS


—    The diet taken during constipation must be easily digestible.
—    Plenty of fruits, vegetables and salads
—    Freshly cooked food, and chew food thoroughly.

Eat only when hungry and maintain at least 4 hours between meals.
Use spices like cumin, coriander, turmeric powder, fennel and asafetida as they make the food easy to digest. Whole grain read and cereals Regular physical exercise is also important for maintaining proper bowel movements.
Sleeping hours should be regulated and efforts should be made to have a sound sleep.
Fried foods, beans, gas forming vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli, nuts and dried fruits should be avoided. Do not mix too many kinds of foods in one meal.

HOME REMEDIES


Drinking a glass of warm milk before going to bed help in easy evacuation in the morning. In case of severe constipation, mix two teaspoons of castor oil in the milk. Drink one liter of warm water and walk around for a few minutes immediately after waking up early in the morning. Drinking lemon juice mixed with warm water two to three times a day eases constipation.
One or two teaspoons of aloe gel can be taken twice a day.
A common Ayurvedic medicine for constipation li Triphala Churna. It is a powder made by grinding three kinds of herbs. A teaspoon of this powder taken with warm water or milk at the time going to bed is beneficial.

No comments:

Post a Comment