Search
Close this search box.

Overview of Constipation Treatments

A day without a bowel movement is no cause for concern. Bowel movements should be easy and soft. When you feel the urge, it is important to respond promptly. Don’t postpone it if you can.

Constipation treatments include dietary and lifestyle changes, fiber supplements, and laxatives. Sometimes prescription medicines and therapies such as biofeedback may be tried. Rarely, surgery may be necessary for carefully defined neuromuscular abnormalities.

The first step is to determine the underlying cause of constipation.

Mild Constipation treatment

Constipation is mild when it’s short-lived, and happens only now and then. The best treatment is prevention; dietary measures usually accomplish this. Be sure to drink enough fluid daily to avoid dehydration. Dietary fiber can help or prevent mild constipation. Try:

  • regular ingestion of fruits and vegetables, especially uncookedconstipation treatment: fiber
  • whole grain breads and cereals

If fiber is lacking in the diet, it may help to try raw wheat bran as a supplement. If bran causes bloating or excessive gas, try a fiber substitute such as psyllium (e.g., Metamucil, Konsyl). Be sure to drink plenty of water with psyllium.

If gas is still a problem, methylcellulose (Citrocel) or polycarbophil (e.g., FiberCon, Equalactin) may create less gas. Drink a generous glass of water to wash fiber down.

Reserve the use of laxatives for temporary constipation due to illness, incapacity, or travel. Talk to your doctor about selecting a laxative.

Treatment of Chronic or Long-term Constipation

If constipation becomes chronic or persistent, seeing a doctor is in order. Give your doctor a list of medicines you are taking. Some medicines are constipating.

Should simple dietary measures fail, the addition of a laxative is the next step. These include:

  • Osmotic laxatives, which work by drawing water into the colon. They are safe and perhaps are the preferred all-purpose laxatives.
  • Stimulant laxatives such as bisacodyl (e.g., Dulcolax, Bisco-Lax), or senna (e.g., Senecott, Senexon), which work by signaling the muscles and nerves of the intestine to contract. These laxatives work relatively quickly, but tend to produce more cramping.

Many herbal medicines contain laxatives. These are unregulated. The dose of any contained drug is often unknown. Some can cause diarrhea. They are best avoided.

Medications

There are prescription medications that have been shown to be effective in treating chronic constipation in multi-center, high quality clinical trials. These US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drugs currently include, lubiprostone (Amitiza), linaclotide (Linzess), and plecanatide (Trulance). 

When Treatment Isn’t Working

“Intractable” constipation means that the symptom does not respond to the treatments described above. Persons with intractable constipation may see a specialist for diagnostic tests. These may include:

  • Transit time or colonic marker studies: A simple test that measures movement of material through the colon over time.
  • Colonic scintigraphy: An imaging method to show how material moves through the GI tract.
  • Endoscopy: Visual examination of the colon using a lighted tube (colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy).
  • Lower GI series or barium enema: X-rays of the colon and rectum.
  • Defecography: An x-ray test to look at the behavior of the rectum and anus during attempts to defecate.
  • Anorectal manometry: A test that measures pressure or contractions in the anus and rectum
  • Balloon Expulsion Testing– This identifies slow transit constipation and dyssynergia.  This allows the physician to see how the muscles are working during a bowel movement.

Behavioral Treatments

Behavioral treatments work by helping to change abnormal patterns to patterns that are more normal. These include…

Surgical Treatment

Surgery is a rare “last resort” for constipation. It is important to discuss any recommended surgery thoroughly with the doctors. Be familiar with the procedure. Understand the potential risks as well as proposed benefits.

Reference
Schiller LR, Dennis E, Toth G. Primary care physicians consider constipation as a severe and bothersome medical condition that negatively impacts patients lives. American Journal of Gastroenterology 99 (10 Suppl): S235 – 236, 2004.

Additional Sources
IFFGD Publication #170 What is Constipation Anyway? By: Kyle Staller, MD, MPH, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA; Adapted from article by: W. Grant Thompson MD, FRCPC, FACG, Professor Emeritus, Faculty of Medicine,
University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Edited by: Darren Brenner, Associate Professor of Medicine and Surgery, Northwestern University – Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois

Share this page
Topics of this article
Was this article helpful?

IFFGD is a nonprofit education and research organization. Our mission is to inform, assist, and support people affected by gastrointestinal disorders.

Our original content is authored specifically for IFFGD readers, in response to your questions and concerns.

If you found this article helpful, please consider supporting IFFGD with a small tax-deductible donation.

Related Information
Treatment of Constipation

Treatment help – Treatment of chronic constipation is best managed by first determining the underlying cause. While there may be several contributing factors, the 3

Read More »
Personal Stories
Treatment of Constipation

Treatment help – Treatment of chronic constipation is best managed by first determining the underlying cause. While there may be several contributing factors, the 3

Read More »
Skip to content