Treating the complication that is constipation
Feb 28, 2010
NORMAL stool elimination may be three times a day or three times a week, depending on the person. With constipation, stool is usually hard, dry, small and difficult to eliminate.
NORMAL stool elimination may be three times a day or three times a week, depending on the person. With constipation, stool is usually hard, dry, small and difficult to eliminate.
Some people find it painful to have a bowel movement and often experience straining, bloating, and the sensation of a full bowel.
Identifying constipation
The tests the doctor performs depend on the duration and severity of the constipation, the person’s age, whether there is blood in stools, recent changes in bowel habits, or weight loss.
Most constipated people do not need extensive testing and can be treated with changes in diet and exercise. For example, in young people with mild symptoms, a medical history and physical exam may be all that is needed for diagnosis and treatment.
In some cases, blood and thyroid tests may be necessary to look for thyroid disease and serum calcium or to rule out inflammatory, metabolic, and other disorders.
The night before the test, bowel cleansing is necessary to clear the lower digestive tract. The patient drinks a special liquid to flush out the bowel.
A clean bowel is important, because even a small amount of stool in the colon can hide details and result in an incomplete exam.
Because the colon does not show up well on x-rays, the doctor fills it with barium, a chalky liquid that makes the area visible. Once the mixture coats the inside of the colon and rectum, x-rays are taken that show their shape and condition.
To perform a colonoscopy, the doctor uses a flexible tube with a light on the end, called a colonoscope, to view the entire colon.
During the exam, the patient lies on his or her side, and the doctor inserts the tube through the anus and rectum into the colon. If an abnormality is seen, the doctor can use the colonoscope to remove a small piece of tissue for examination (biopsy).
Treatment for constipation may be directed at a specific cause. For example, the doctor may recommend discontinuing medication or performing surgery to correct an anorectal problem such as rectal prolapse, a condition in which the lower portion of the colon turns inside out.
Online sources
Some people find it painful to have a bowel movement and often experience straining, bloating, and the sensation of a full bowel.
Identifying constipation
The tests the doctor performs depend on the duration and severity of the constipation, the person’s age, whether there is blood in stools, recent changes in bowel habits, or weight loss.
Most constipated people do not need extensive testing and can be treated with changes in diet and exercise. For example, in young people with mild symptoms, a medical history and physical exam may be all that is needed for diagnosis and treatment.
In some cases, blood and thyroid tests may be necessary to look for thyroid disease and serum calcium or to rule out inflammatory, metabolic, and other disorders.
The night before the test, bowel cleansing is necessary to clear the lower digestive tract. The patient drinks a special liquid to flush out the bowel.
A clean bowel is important, because even a small amount of stool in the colon can hide details and result in an incomplete exam.
Because the colon does not show up well on x-rays, the doctor fills it with barium, a chalky liquid that makes the area visible. Once the mixture coats the inside of the colon and rectum, x-rays are taken that show their shape and condition.
To perform a colonoscopy, the doctor uses a flexible tube with a light on the end, called a colonoscope, to view the entire colon.
During the exam, the patient lies on his or her side, and the doctor inserts the tube through the anus and rectum into the colon. If an abnormality is seen, the doctor can use the colonoscope to remove a small piece of tissue for examination (biopsy).
Treatment for constipation may be directed at a specific cause. For example, the doctor may recommend discontinuing medication or performing surgery to correct an anorectal problem such as rectal prolapse, a condition in which the lower portion of the colon turns inside out.
Online sources