Various Classes of Treatments for Constipation
(Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only, and does not endorse or support any of the products mentioned. Moreover, readers should always seek the support of a qualified physician in making health-related choices. The author is a layman and certainly not a doctor and is only providing research obtained from other sources.)
Various surveys report the incidence of constipation to range from 2 to 30%, with one large international survey pegging the number at 12% worldwide. The numbers encompass a wide range and probably reflect fundamental problems in the survey method itself. However, the bottom line is that constipation is a common condition that afflicts a substantial fraction of the population.
One of the problems associated with statistical surveying of constipation is that it's a poorly defined condition. This translates into an impact on diagnosis and treatment. For example, one physician might believe that having a bowel movement every three days is ok, but another physician would be alarmed at the low frequency. The source of the inconsistent opinions is that bowel movement frequency is itself highly variable from person to person. This difficulty in definition is compounded by differences in patient-reported symptoms such as difficulty or pain in passing stool, or excessive time spend on the toilet.
After diagnosis, the patient and the physician must still face the task of trying to determine the fundamental cause of constipation. For some, the constellation of symptoms might suggest something such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). For others, incomplete control of muscles in the rectum due to trauma or injury can be a source of constipation. Yet for the largest group, there is no clear cause. This last group are classified into the "idiopathic" group.
Often first line therapy for people diagnosed with chronic idiopathic constipation is introduction of high fiber into diet. Recent studies show that fiber and fluids are effective in only a small fraction of patients. Because of the ease and accessibility of high fiber treatment, it is quite popular with physicians and patients. Response is expected within two weeks, at which time both parties may decide whether the diagnosis and therapy were successful.
Other types of natural treatments include both lubricant laxatives and herbal supplements such as senna. Herbal and natural supplements are not always safe. The FDA has banned some natural supplements, namely aloe vera and cascara recently, for failure on the part of manufacturers to provide sufficient safety data. However, some other over-the-counter treatments remain available.
Physician-prescribed constipation pharmaceuticals are another option. These include conventional laxatives as well as advanced chemicals that have specific effects on certain functions of the colonic tract. More recently, novel and interesting therapies such as biofeedback training have been investigated for efficacy in medical studies. The state of the art is expected to evolve quickly. - 17273
Various surveys report the incidence of constipation to range from 2 to 30%, with one large international survey pegging the number at 12% worldwide. The numbers encompass a wide range and probably reflect fundamental problems in the survey method itself. However, the bottom line is that constipation is a common condition that afflicts a substantial fraction of the population.
One of the problems associated with statistical surveying of constipation is that it's a poorly defined condition. This translates into an impact on diagnosis and treatment. For example, one physician might believe that having a bowel movement every three days is ok, but another physician would be alarmed at the low frequency. The source of the inconsistent opinions is that bowel movement frequency is itself highly variable from person to person. This difficulty in definition is compounded by differences in patient-reported symptoms such as difficulty or pain in passing stool, or excessive time spend on the toilet.
After diagnosis, the patient and the physician must still face the task of trying to determine the fundamental cause of constipation. For some, the constellation of symptoms might suggest something such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). For others, incomplete control of muscles in the rectum due to trauma or injury can be a source of constipation. Yet for the largest group, there is no clear cause. This last group are classified into the "idiopathic" group.
Often first line therapy for people diagnosed with chronic idiopathic constipation is introduction of high fiber into diet. Recent studies show that fiber and fluids are effective in only a small fraction of patients. Because of the ease and accessibility of high fiber treatment, it is quite popular with physicians and patients. Response is expected within two weeks, at which time both parties may decide whether the diagnosis and therapy were successful.
Other types of natural treatments include both lubricant laxatives and herbal supplements such as senna. Herbal and natural supplements are not always safe. The FDA has banned some natural supplements, namely aloe vera and cascara recently, for failure on the part of manufacturers to provide sufficient safety data. However, some other over-the-counter treatments remain available.
Physician-prescribed constipation pharmaceuticals are another option. These include conventional laxatives as well as advanced chemicals that have specific effects on certain functions of the colonic tract. More recently, novel and interesting therapies such as biofeedback training have been investigated for efficacy in medical studies. The state of the art is expected to evolve quickly. - 17273
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Readers wishing to understand more can browse over to learn about constipation treatments. The articles supplied for home remedies constipation will be informative to many.
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