He althy lifestyle today is gaining popularity among young people. Boys and girls are interested in nutrition, physical activity and good sleep. Many take vitamins and dietary supplements, are engaged in the prevention of diseases. Despite this, an absolutely he althy person is a rarity. Every second today has a tendency to constipation. Most of them do not consider indigestion a problem.
Defecation is a completely natural process. They don't draw attention to it. Difficulties occurring from time to time during defecation do not cause concern. A person really begins to worry when he feels heaviness in the stomach, and all attempts to empty the intestines are ineffective.
Is constipation a disease?
Constipation is a very delicate problem. It is not customary to discuss it with friends. People do not know and do not attach importance to the symptoms that indicate the onset of the disease. The first signs of the disease often go unnoticed. How to determine the boundary when the physiological norm of emptying turns into pathology?
In the common people, constipation is considered to be a delay in stool for several days. This statement is true, but only partially. The thing is that each organism is individual and has its own biological clock. Due to these features, there is no single frequency of defecation. The norm can be emptying the intestines both several times a day, and three times a week. However, the person should not feel discomfort in the intestines.
The second criterion for determining the tendency to constipation is difficult defecation. A long stay in the toilet, strong straining, soreness in the anal area are the first signs of constipation. They allow you to talk about the presence of an ailment. Systematically recurring symptoms indicate the chronic nature of the pathology.
Constipation is a very common digestive disorder. A tendency to it can lead to the occurrence of proctological ailments. Therefore, this problem today has a high degree of social significance.
Causes and types of indigestion
In most cases, constipation in adults is the result of an irregular diet, an inactive lifestyle. Sometimes problems with the stool are observed against the background of psychological stress and various uncomfortable situations. Do not forget about the objective factors for the appearance of intestinal dysfunction. These include pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract and diseases of other systems of internal organs that have an impact on the digestive processes.
There are several classificationsdifficult defecation. One of them is based on a causative factor, therefore, the following types of constipation are distinguished:
- Alimentary. Problems with the stool arise as a result of a deficiency of plant fiber, which must come with food. This substance is found in raw vegetables and fruits. Fiber serves as a kind of stimulator of intestinal motility. Also, alimentary constipation may be due to limited fluid intake. Water in the body is responsible for softening stool and facilitating the process of defecation.
- Hypokinetic. This indigestion is typical for people leading an inactive lifestyle.
- Mechanical. Signs of constipation appear if there are obstacles in the path of passage of feces. In the case of intestinal obstruction, doctors usually suspect a tumor. Other causes include scarring, polyps, and adhesive disease.
- Reflex. Stool retention appears against the background of pathologies of various parts of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Toxic. Problems with the stool are the result of intoxication with chemicals. Long-term use of certain medications also contributes to persistent constipation.
- Endocrine. This type of constipation is an indirect sign of hormonal disorders. These include hypofunction of the thyroid gland or ovaries, diabetes mellitus.
There is another group of constipation. It is so extensive that it is worth considering it separately.
Psychological and neurological causes
When potential diseases are ruled out andextraintestinal causes of indigestion, diagnose functional constipation. This is a disease characterized by stool retention as a result of pathologies of the central nervous system. Certain factors hinder the natural process of defecation. They belong to the field of neurology. These factors can affect the mechanism of defecation, inhibiting peristalsis and disrupting the sphincter. It also happens that a person adheres to a he althy lifestyle, tries to eat right, but his intestines periodically refuse to fully function. Experts cannot explain this phenomenon and suggest looking for the problem in the head.
One of the main causes of constipation is the conscious inhibition of the process of emptying. It is due to the way of life of modern man. He spends most of the day at work or school, where going to the toilet may be inappropriate or impossible. If a person is squeamish about public restrooms, this problem needs to be addressed. By such behavior, he only harms his own body. You can endure it once, but systematic restraint entails a violation of the mechanism of bowel movement.
Traveler's constipation is another type of indigestion. In this case, a person cannot go to the toilet under certain conditions: on a train or plane, at a train station. Such people have similar problems quite often. Many interpret this by force of habit to the "native" bathroom, where everyone feels comfortable. In any other environment, he cannot relax, sonatural defecation mechanism fails.
Separately, it is necessary to touch upon the functional problems of the intestine. Constipation in this case, physicians refer to a separate category of disorders. It is associated with irritable bowel syndrome. This is a whole symptom complex, characterized by various failures that are not due to objective reasons. This disease is usually associated with stress, prolonged nervous strain or psychological trauma. In this case, constipation is one of the many manifestations of irritable bowel syndrome.
Constipation symptoms
In most cases, the symptoms of indigestion depend on the nature of the disease that caused it. The most common signs of constipation include:
- bloating and feeling of heaviness in the stomach;
- flatulence caused by increased gas formation;
- hard, painful stools;
- anal fissure;
- bad taste in mouth, belching;
- insomnia, nervousness.
Depending on the nature of defecation disorders, there are two types of constipation: acute and chronic. In the first case, the absence of stool is observed for several days. If the problem is ignored at this stage, chronic constipation develops. This is a rather dangerous condition. A person is forced to constantly push, resulting in possible prolapse of the rectum.
Children's constipation and its symptoms are different from defecation disorders in adults. They have a duration of stool retention sometimes up to36 hours. This time can be considered regulated. If the stool is more frequent, we are talking about inconsistencies in the work of certain systems in the child's body.
Constipation in early pregnancy is no less a concern for many women. Most often, violations occur as a result of squeezing the rectum by the fetus. Symptoms are similar to the general clinical picture of constipation, but rumbling in the abdomen is added to it. To restore a woman's he alth, doctors recommend reconsidering the diet, drinking more fluids.
Medical examination
What is constipation, how to deal with it - these are the two questions that the patient should receive answers after visiting the doctor. Usually a specialist offers several treatment options, but we will talk about them below. Diagnosis of constipation takes place in several stages. Initially, an assessment of clinical symptoms is carried out, and an irrigoscopy (X-ray examination) is also prescribed. It helps to assess the lumen of the large intestine, to determine the presence of tumor formations, developmental anomalies.
At the second stage of diagnosis, the patient is invited to undergo a colonoscopy. This is an endoscopic examination of the intestine, in which biopsy specimens are taken from the mucous membranes. Then the material is studied in the laboratory. After that, the doctor proceeds to examine the general condition of the gastrointestinal tract. This includes sphincterometry and anorectometry, as well as various laboratory tests. Why is such an examination necessary? To choose the right tactics to solve the problem depending on the causepathology. Usually, therapy includes the elimination of provocative factors and symptomatic treatment.
Diet is the basis of the fight against disease
Without changing the habitual diet, the treatment of constipation does not make sense. If you continue to eat dry food and irregularly, you will never get rid of stool problems. First of all, doctors recommend eliminating foods that cause constipation. This is fatty meat, pasta, confectionery.
You should follow a certain diet and eat strictly at certain hours. The diet should include foods containing fiber. First of all, it is raw vegetables and fruits. Fiber is not fully absorbed by the body, but it increases the volume of the stool and promotes its movement through the intestines. It is useful to include bran, buckwheat porridge, seaweed and lean meat in the diet. Avoid alcohol and carbonated drinks. It is important to observe the correct drinking regimen. It is recommended to drink up to two liters of clean water per day. Lack of fluid can lead to hardening of the stool and cause severe constipation. What to do if there is no way to eat at a certain time? In this case, doctors recommend preparing food in advance and taking it to work in containers. After about 2-4 weeks of such nutrition, you can feel the first positive results of treatment.
Medication use
However, they are contraindicated in intestinal obstruction caused by polyps or tumors. Therefore, it is so important to undergo an examination before starting a course of treatment.
There are several groups of laxatives that have different mechanisms of action:
- Means that increase the volume of intestinal contents ("Forlax", "Mukofalk"). These drugs retain water, making feces more voluminous. They are taken for constipation caused by malnutrition.
- Microclysters. They contain substances with a slight laxative effect and go on sale in a ready-to-use form. The main advantage of microenemas is the rapid onset of action. To achieve a positive therapeutic effect, only 5 ml of the drug (one tube) is enough.
- Peristalsis stimulators. Treatment of constipation in the elderly is usually aimed at increasing intestinal motility. For these purposes, they use Cerucal, Motilium, Coordinax.
- Drugs with lactulose. Such medicines are prescribed for children and pregnant women. The most popular of them is Duphalac. This is a synthetic drug whose active ingredients help to retain water and soften the stool.
What to give with spastic constipation? In this case, laxatives are powerless. Treatment should be aimed at eliminating the spasm.
Increase physical activity
If a person sits at the computer for hours and does little time for physical activity, his muscles do not work. The intestinal walls also lose their tone. No wonder they say that movement is life. With a pronounced tendency to constipation, doctors recommendallocate time for physical activity if it cannot be increased during the day. Any sports that involve the abdominal muscles (swimming, running, fitness) are suitable for this.
Treatment with folk remedies
Constipation is a very serious problem. However, not always laxatives can be found in the home first aid kit. What to do? Folk healers offer their own solutions to this problem.
Few people know that elderberry jelly and decoction of senna leaves increase intestinal motility. To relieve spasm and facilitate the process of defecation, the usual infusion of valerian is useful. To normalize the stool, you can prepare a remedy based on dried fruits and honey with the addition of senna leaves. It should be taken in the morning on an empty stomach, one tablespoon. Every day, traditional healers recommend starting with a glass of warm water, because the liquid stimulates the urge to defecate.
Laxatives today can be purchased at every pharmacy, this does not require a prescription from a doctor. However, such therapy gives only a temporary effect, it does not solve the problem itself. Constipation is a serious disorder of the digestive system. You should not ignore its first symptoms, it is better to immediately contact a specialist. It is necessary to treat the underlying cause of the disease, and this requires a lot of time and effort. Sometimes you even have to change your lifestyle.
Forecast and prevention
It is not customary to speak out loud about stool retention. But we shouldn't be silent about it either. From the coordinated work of the intestineshe alth of a person, his emotional mood and physical comfort depend. If this problem is not addressed, serious complications can arise. What causes constipation?
In addition to immediate complications, which include a feeling of heaviness and flatulence, are not excluded:
- bleeding from the veins of the hemorrhoid;
- intestinal obstruction;
- diverticulosis.
Difficulties in defecation may be the first sign of the onset of the development of serious pathologies of the digestive tract, endocrine system. In addition, constipation is sometimes a symptom of neoplasms in the intestines. The most dangerous complication is colon cancer.
To prevent these complications, it is necessary to deal with the prevention of constipation. First of all, it implies the timely treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Also, doctors recommend to follow the diet. All foods that cause constipation (legumes, cereals, etc.) should be excluded from the diet. It is recommended to give preference to warm dishes and drinks. The diet should consist of fresh vegetables and fruits, lean meat. It is useful to regularly consume vegetable oil in a small amount. Particular attention should be paid to motor activity.
