Overview
Today’s busy life has increased the risk of many diseases. Especially the diseases related to our metabolism and digestion. That’s why acidity, constipation, obesity, high blood sugar level, and hypertension cases are increasing at a surprising rate. Pollution and organic life increase that risk more. These all problems affect our immune system and make us internally hollow. Home remedies for constipation can help you to get rid of constipation safely.
Approximately 15% of persons in the United States are suffering from chronic constipation.
About 2% of the population describes constant episodes of constipation.
In America alone, chronic constipation affects approximately 63 million people. Worldwide, approximately 12% of people suffer from self-defined constipation; people in the Americas and the Asian Pacific suffer twice as much as their European counterparts.
A meta-analysis of patients in Europe and Oceania cited prevalence rates as high as 81%, with a general incidence of approximately 17%. Female sex, age, and educational class were strongly associated with the prevalence of constipation.
Constipation can occur in all ages, from newborns to elderly persons. An age-related increase in the incidence of constipation has been observed, with 30%-40% of adults older than 65 years citing constipation as a problem.
What is constipation
“Constipation is defined medically as fewer than three stools per week and severe constipation is less than one stool per week. “
Constipation is a symptom rather than a disease, generally defined as when bowel movements occur three or fewer times a week and are difficult to pass.
Types of constipation:- There are two main types of constipation, the first one is primary, and the second one is secondary.
Primary constipation:- There is no specific and clear cause of primary constipation. The reason for primary constipation is unknown. That makes it difficult to treat. Primary constipation is “functional” or “idiopathic” constipation.
Types of primary constipation:- There are following different types of primary constipation.
Normal transit constipation:- Normal transit constipation is a condition in which a person perceives themselves to be constipated, but the consistency of stool is normal and the movement of the stool is normal and stools move through the digestive tract at a regular pace.
Slow transit constipation:- People with slow transit constipation Trusted Source do not experience the normal stimulation of the bowels, called peristalsis, after eating. Therefore, food moves through the digestive tract more slowly than usual, and stools take longer to pass through the colon. As stool sits in the intestines for longer, these individuals will have less frequent bowel movements.
Outlet constipation:- When our pelvic muscles got damaged, then this type of constipation occurs. Pelvic muscles are the muscle that supports the bowel and bladder, as well as the uterus in females.
So the damage to pelvic muscles will restrict the movement of the bowels results these bowels will stick in between the intestine and rectum.
In outlet constipation, damage to the pelvic floor muscles or nerves makes it difficult for a person to pass stools. This damage can occur for various reasons, including pregnancy and childbirth.
Secondary constipation:- Second constipation has many reasons. There are many certain reasons that is responsible for secondary constipation.
Symptoms of constipation
There are certain symptoms of symptoms that may occur in constipation. So let’s discuss the symptoms of constipation.
A patient must have experienced at least two of the following symptoms over the preceding 6 months;-
• Fewer than three spontaneous bowel movements per week
• Straining for more than 25% of defecation attempts
• Lumpy or hard stools for at least 25% of defecation attempts
• Sensation of anorectal obstruction or blockage for at least 25% of defecation attempts
• Sensation of incomplete defecation for at least 25% of defecation attempts
• Manual maneuvering is required to defecate for at least 25% of defecation attempts
In addition, the patient must rarely have loose stools present without the use of a laxative for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
The constipated patient may be otherwise totally asymptomatic or may complain of one or more of the following;-
• Abdominal bloating
• Pain on defecation
• Rectal bleeding
• Spurious diarrhea
• Low back pain
Causes of constipation
You may be constipated for many reasons, and constipation may have more than one cause at a time. The causes of constipation can be divided into primary, secondary, and congenital.
Primary constipation:- Primary or functional constipation is defined by ongoing symptoms for greater than six months, not due to an underlying cause such as medication side effects or an underlying medical condition. It is not associated with abdominal pain, thus distinguishing it from irritable bowel syndrome.
It is the most common kind of constipation.
In adults, such primary causes include dietary choices such as insufficient dietary fiber or fluid intake, or behavioral causes such as decreased physical activity. In the elderly, common causes have been attributed to insufficient dietary fiber intake, inadequate fluid intake, decreased physical activity, side effects of medications, hypothyroidism, and obstruction by colorectal cancer.
Secondary constipation:- Secondary causes include side effects of medications such as opiates, endocrine and metabolic disorders such as hypothyroidism, and obstruction such as from colorectal cancer.
Celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity may also present with constipation. Cystocele can develop as a result of chronic constipation.
Congenital constipation:- A number of diseases present at birth can result in constipation in children. They are as a group uncommon, with Hirschsprung’s disease (HD) being the most common. There are also congenital structural anomalies that can lead to constipation, including anterior displacement of the anus, imperforate anus, strictures, and small left colon syndrome.
There are other certain factors that are responsible for constipation;-
Diet:- Constipation can be caused by a low-fiber diet, low liquid intake, or dieting. Dietary fiber helps to decrease colonic transport time, increases stool bulk, and simultaneously softens the stool. Therefore, diets low in fiber can lead to primary constipation. Intake of fat and carbohydrate-rich diet can also be responsible for constipation.
Certain drugs:- Many medications have constipation as a side effect. Some include (but are not limited to) opioids, diuretics, antidepressants, antihistamines, antispasmodics, anticonvulsant, tricyclic antidepressants, antiarrhythmic, beta-adrenoceptor antagonists, antidiarrheals, 5-HT3 receptor antagonists such as ondansetron, and aluminum antacids.
Certain calcium channel blockers such as nifedipine and verapamil can cause severe constipation due to dysfunction of motility in the colon.
Supplements such as calcium and iron supplements can also have constipation as a notable side effect.
Certain medical conditions:- Metabolic and endocrine problems which may lead to constipation include hypercalcemia, hypothyroidism, hyperparathyroidism, porphyria, chronic kidney disease, pan-hypopituitarism, diabetes mellitus, and cystic fibrosis.
Constipation is also common in individuals with muscular dystrophy.
Systemic diseases that may present with constipation include celiac disease and systemic sclerosis.
Constipation has a number of structural (mechanical, morphological, anatomical) causes, namely through creating space-occupying lesions within the colon that stop the passage of stool, such as colorectal cancer, strictures, rectoceles, and anal sphincter damage.
Constipation also has neurological causes, including anismus, descending perineum syndrome, and Hirschsprung’s disease.
In infants, Hirschsprung’s disease is the most common medical disorder associated with constipation. Anismus occurs in a small minority of persons with chronic constipation.
Spinal cord lesions and neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and pelvic floor dysfunction can also lead to constipation.
Psychological:- Sometimes people hold their poop. It can be due to certain reasons.
e.g:- Laziness, more workload, some people fear to go toilet At night which can also constipation.
When a child holds in the stool, a combination of encouragement, fluids, fiber, and laxatives may be useful to overcome the problem which can lead to anal fissures.
Habit:- Bowel movements are under voluntary control. This means that the normal urge you feel when you need to have one can be suppressed. Although occasionally it is appropriate to suppress an urge to defecate (for example, when a bathroom is not available), doing this too frequently can lead to a disappearance of urges and result in constipation.
Hormonal disorders:- Hormones can affect bowel movements. For example, too little thyroid hormone and too much parathyroid hormone (by raising the calcium levels in the blood). At the time of a woman’s menstrual periods, estrogen and progesterone levels are high. However, this is rarely a prolonged condition. High levels of estrogen and progesterone during pregnancy also cause constipation.
Instant Indian home remedies for constipation
There are following Indian home remedies that are proved useful for many years, so let’s discuss those Indian home remedies;-
Jaggery:- Our favorite desi ‘sweetener’ works wonders in curing both chronic and occasional occurrences of constipation. It is a good source of iron and magnesium.
The high magnesium content of jaggery will ensure that your bowel movement is smooth and unhindered, the following morning.
Ways to use jaggery in constipation:- Mix a tablespoon of jaggery in a glass of warm water and gulp it down before going to bed.
Lemon water:- One of the very old and common home remedies for constipation. It is advised to take lemon water after waking up because lemon has citric acid.
Citric acid has anti-oxidant properties. This improves the metabolism and has a stimulating action on the stomach and prompts the body to get rid of toxins in every form and shape.
Ways to use lemon water for constipation:- Mix one lemon in warm water with a little quantity of salt, you can also add honey for enhancing the taste and sip it slowly in the morning.
Apple juice:- Dietary fiber has a major role in facilitating bowel movement through your gut. Apple juice is a rich source of dietary fiber and sipping the cold-pressed variety of it, throughout the day will ensure that constipation never bothers you.
Ways to use Apples for constipation:- Eat one apple daily in the morning.
Baking soda with water:- This is a home-made ready for many diseases, especially those related to your stomach.
It will relieve gas and acidity, soften stool and ease its passage out of your body.
Ways to use baking soda with water in constipation:- Mix a teaspoonful of baking soda in a glass of water and drink it before bed.
Triphala drink:- Triphala is an Indian Ayurvedic remedy to cater to a whole host of health issues. Its laxative properties help to relieve constipation-related issues effectively.
Ways to use Triphala drink in constipation:- Mix 2 teaspoons of triphala powder with a glass of water and drink on an empty stomach every morning.
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