Is constipation diarrhea?

Constipation is a very common health problem. Many patients experience constipation symptoms due to improper diet or irregular lifestyle. Constipation is difficulty having a bowel movement. Of course, if it is abnormal diarrhea, it may also be a sign of constipation. No matter what symptoms of constipation you have, you need to seek prompt treatment. Here are some treatments for constipation!

1. General treatment

Patients with constipation first need to rule out organic diseases that cause constipation, and then adopt comprehensive treatment based on the severity, cause and type of constipation, including general lifestyle treatment, drug treatment, biofeedback training and surgical treatment to restore normal bowel movement physiology. Pay attention to lifestyle treatment, strengthen education for patients, adopt reasonable eating habits, such as increasing dietary fiber content, increasing water intake to strengthen stimulation to the colon, and develop good bowel habits, such as defecating in the morning, defecating as soon as you feel the urge, avoiding straining during defecation, and increasing activity. During treatment, attention should be paid to clearing excess feces in the distal rectum; a positive attitude should be adjusted, which are extremely important for obtaining effective treatment.

2. Drug treatment

(1) Bulk-forming laxatives mainly include soluble cellulose (pectin, psyllium, oat bran, etc.) and insoluble fiber (plant fiber, lignin, etc.). Bulk-forming laxatives are slow to act with few side effects and are safe, so they are effective for constipation during pregnancy or mild constipation, but they are not suitable as a rapid laxative treatment for temporary constipation.

(2) Lubricating laxatives: They can lubricate the intestinal wall, soften the stool, and make it easier to excrete. They are easy to use, such as enema, mineral oil, or liquid paraffin.

(3) Saline laxatives, such as magnesium sulfate and milk of magnesium, can cause serious adverse reactions and should be used with caution in clinical practice.

(4) Osmotic laxatives: Commonly used drugs include lactulose, sorbitol, polyethylene glycol 4000, etc. It is suitable for fecal impaction or as a temporary treatment for chronic constipation. It is a good choice for patients with constipation who are poorly responded to bulk laxatives.

(5) Stimulant laxatives include anthraquinone-containing herbal laxatives (rhubarb, cascara bark, senna leaves, aloe vera), phenolphthalein, castor oil, diphenhydramine, etc. Stimulant laxatives should only be used when bulk laxatives and saline laxatives are ineffective. Some are quite strong and not suitable for long-term use. Long-term use of anthraquinone laxatives can cause melena colon or cathartic colon, causing atrophy of smooth muscle and damage to the myenteric nerve plexus, which in turn aggravates constipation and is reversible after discontinuation of the drug.

(6) Prokinetic agents: Mosapride and itopride have the effect of promoting gastrointestinal motility, and prucalopride can selectively act on the colon. They can be selected according to the situation.

3. Equipment assistance

If the stool is hard and stagnant in the rectum near the anus, or if the patient is elderly and weak, or has poor or absent bowel movement motivation, colon hydrotherapy or cleansing enema can be used.