How Do You Pass A Big Hard Stool
Big, difficult-to-pass stools can be treated by making changes to ones daily routine, such as:
Can The Chronic Pain State Be Reversed
Chronic pain can be turned around and reversed if done with the proper treatment interventions. This often includes the use of central acting agents, or neuromodulators, and psychological approaches, along with self-management steps that individuals can take on their own. Combining therapies together can be more effective than using just one approach.
While still theoretical, its been shown in practice that even the structural changes involving nerve cells can be reversed. Although chronic severe pain can reduce the number of brain cells, studies using brain imaging have shown that various interventions can result in neurogenesis, the regrowth of nerve cells.
Getting Rid Of Constipation Forever
I used to suffer daily with some sort of stomach pain or discomfort, until I realized that constipation was behind it.
So, I developed a daily regimen to stave off constipation and its undesirable symptoms.
Magnesium, the silver bullet
A daily dose of magnesium along with exercise and a balanced diet to implement can go a long way to eliminate digestive problems, and the stomach pain that can accompany it.
For a magnesium supplement, I prefer using a sea mineral supplement.
Its magnesium has many health benefits. It also contains valuable trace minerals.
Can constipation cause stomach pain? Yes. Its just another good reason to do something to remedy that constipation problem.
You May Like: Vitamins Causing Diarrhea
Pharmacy First Scotland: Constipation Treatment From Your Pharmacy
Constipation isn’t usually serious and can be treated by a pharmacist. Your pharmacist may recommend that you contact your GP practice if required.
Also speak to your pharmacist if you think your child might be constipated. Laxatives are often recommended for children alongside diet and lifestyle changes.
You may be able to treat constipation yourself by making simple changes to your diet and lifestyle . If these changes don’t help and the problem continues, you should see your pharmacist.
However, you should see your GP for advice if:
- you notice any rectal bleeding
- you notice any unexplained weight loss
- you have persistent tiredness
- your constipation lasts longer than 14 days without improvement
Alternative Treatments For Constipation
Some people benefit from additional strategies to relieve constipation including:
- Bowel training involves developing a habit of moving your bowels at the same time each day. Eating a meal stimulates your colon to move. Thats why you shouldnt skip meals when youre constipated. It also provides a good tool to use to train your bowels. Try training your bowels to move within 15 to 45 minutes after breakfast or dinner.
- therapy retrains the muscles that control bowel movements. You work with a biofeedback therapist to identify these muscles and learn how to relax them to ease stool passage.
Read Also: Why Does Lettuce Give Me Diarrhea
Constipation Can Result In Stomach Pain
In fact, the most frequently reported constipation pain is stomach pain. It may show up as a full feeling, nausea or cramps.
When stool is hard it tends to move less easily through the colon. Blockages can form, and these can irritate the colon. This irritation can cause the normal contractions of the colon to turn into spasms, which shows up as stomach pain.
What Should I Do If I Am Constipated
Take these steps:
- Drink two to four extra glasses of water a day, unless your doctor told you to limit fluids for another reason.
- Try warm liquids, especially in the morning.
- Add fruits and vegetables to your diet.
- Eat prunes and bran cereal.
- Exercise most days of the week. When you move your body, the muscles in your intestines are more active, too.
- Donât ignore the urge to poop.
You can try taking a laxative, too. There are several types of laxatives, and you can buy many of them over the counter. Each of them works in a different way to ease constipation. Ask your doctor or pharmacist which kind might work for you and how long you should take it.
Recommended Reading: What Does It Mean When You Keep Having Heartburn
Constipation And Back Pain
It’s not unusual for constipation and back pain to occur together.
In some cases, constipation may indirectly result from back pain. That is, you can become constipated after taking certain pain medications, particularly drugs such as opiates.
In other cases, constipation and back pain may both be symptoms of another health issue.
For instance, irritable bowel syndrome can cause both constipation and backaches, even though the two symptoms may not be directly related.
Back pain can also develop from fecal impaction, another complication of chronic constipation.
This condition occurs when a large chunk of dry, hard stool gets trapped in the rectum and you’re unable to push it out.
Fecal impaction is especially common if you’re constipated for a long time and are taking a lot of laxatives.
Your body becomes accustomed to the medication and “forgets” how to normally pass stool once you stop taking the laxatives.
If you have a fecal impaction, the hardened stool may press on the sacral nerves of the lower back, resulting in back pain.
This back pain will remain until its source the impaction is removed through a procedure that usually involves a doctor manually reaching into the rectum to break up the hardened stool.
How To Prevent Constipation
There are various things you can do to help keep your bowels healthy and avoid becoming constipated. If you are in any doubt, consult your GP or Healthcare Professional before making significant changes to your regular diet. A dietitian will also be able to guide you.
- As a general rule, eating more high-fibre foods can prevent constipation. However, if constipation is a result of Colitis or Crohns disease, increasing fibre intake could have a detrimental effect
- There are two different types of fibre soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibre dissolves in the intestines to form a gel type substance. This helps food move along the digestive tract. Insoluble fibre is not dissolvable and moves through the intestines without being absorbed. This fibre adds bulk to bowel movements and helps to reduce constipation
- Make sure you drink lots of fluids to keep the stools moist e.g. at least 1.5-2 litres of water based drinks per day
- If you are taking any medicines ask your doctor or chemist if they could be adding to your constipation. If possible, try to remove constipating medications
- If really necessary, try using a fibre supplement such as fybogel and possibly suppositories or mini-enemas to help regularise the bowels, but they should not be used long term. Some foods can act as natural laxative for some people, these include prunes, figs, liquorice, coffee/tea, spicy food
- If possible, increase your physical activity as this helps to increase bowel activity
Don’t Miss: Does Peanut Butter Cause Heartburn
How Do You Pass Big Hard Stools
Functional constipation can be relieved by several different remedies and medications. It can be problematic if you have problems with hemorrhoids. Because if you have the condition of hemorrhoids, its not the normal constipation case that you can use on normal occasions.
But its up to you whether you want to see a doctor and get prescribed medicines for treating your constipation problem, or you can try different remedies at home. Passing hard stools can be a huge problem and there are different ways you can go through. For instantaneous solutions, you may use external remedies to get temporary relief. Here are other options you can go through.
What Are Complications Of Constipation
Constipation can cause complications, such as hemorrhoids, which occur by straining to have a bowel movement, or anal fissures which occur when hard stool stretches the sphincter muscle. This can result in rectal bleeding.
Sometimes, straining also causes rectal prolapse, where a small amount of intestinal lining pushes out from the anal opening. Constipation may also cause fecal impaction, which occurs mostly in children and older adults. The hard stool packs the intestine and rectum so tightly that the normal pushing action of the colon is not enough to expel the stool.
Read Also: Does Almond Milk Cause Bloating
Constipation & Lower Back Pain
During constipation, you may feel light pain in your abdomen or your lower back. It could be due to dehydration, your intake of fiber is low, etc., or bowel obstruction. The pain could be due to a medication side effect or a lack of exercise. It has also been brought to attention that constipation with back pain is early-stage signs of rectal cancer or colon cancer in some cases.
Lumbar pain could result from muscle strain, a ligament sprain, or a herniated disc, but if you are not sure why you are suffering from pain, consult one of our doctors at Rheumatology Care of North Houston.
The doctor will perform several tests, check your medical history, and review your medication list to determine what is causing your symptoms.
Are Opioids Useful For Treating Chronic Pain In Ibs
There is no evidence that opioids, narcotics, have any long-term benefit. Yet, there is an epidemic of opioid use. Furthermore, opioids slow down the gut causing constipation, gastroparesis, nausea, and vomiting, particularly in those with IBS.
In addition, about 56% of people who go on opioids develop a condition called narcotic bowel syndrome, also called opioid induced central hyperalgesia. It was identified in 2007, but is not always recognized. Typically, the person who has chronic pain is given opioids, the pain gets worse, and more opioids are given.
What the opioids are doing in people with narcotic bowel syndrome is activating the spinal cord mechanisms to amplify and increase the signaling to the brain. Discontinuing the opioids while substituting effective alternatives is the only way the condition can be treated. This requires the doctor and patient working closely together.
Opioids are not a treatment for chronic pain in IBS. Not only is this because of the risk for getting narcotic bowel syndrome, but it deflects from proper treatment where there is clear benefit. There is no evidence for long-term benefit of opioids.
Recommended Reading: Lettuce Cause Gas
What Causes Constipation
There are a few reasons why you might be constipated, according to the NIH. The most common causes include slow movement of stool, delayed emptying of your colon due to pelvic floor disorders, and gastrointestinal disorders like irritable bowel syndrome . Read on to learn more about the common symptoms of constipation.
What To Ask Your Doctor
- Could any of my medications be causing my constipation and if so is there an alternative?
- What dietary or lifestyle changes do you suggest I introduce?
- Are laxatives suitable for me and if so which one would be best for me to use?
- How will my constipation be monitored?
- Are there any over the counter remedies which will reduce the chances of me getting haemorrhoids or an anal tear?
Don’t Miss: Is Gas And Diarrhea A Sign Of Early Pregnancy
Chronic Constipation In Kids
Constipation is a common problem that can make kids and their parents miserable. I think I have changed more lives by treating constipation than any other condition, says Dr. Mitchell Katz, a CHOC pediatric gastroenterologist. Constipation is a decrease in the frequency of bowel movements, compared to a childs usual pattern. How often a child makes a bowel movement varies. Chronic constipation is usually painful and causes the child great discomfort.
When To Call Your Doctor
While it is common to experience one or more of the above-associated symptoms in IBS, there are some symptoms that should not occur and, therefore, warrant a visit to your doctor. These include abdominal pain associated with a loss of appetite, malnutrition, or weight loss.
Pain that is progressively getting worse and/or awakens you from sleep is also not suggestive of IBS and warrants a prompt medical evaluation. Moreover, if your pain is especially severe and does not feel like your typical IBS pain, you may need to seek immediate medical attention.
- Your abdomen is extremely hard or tender to the touch.
- You are experiencing rectal bleeding or bloody diarrhea.
- You are having difficulty breathing or chest pain.
- You are coughing up or vomiting blood.
- You are experiencing severe pain in your neck or between your shoulder blades.
- You are unable to stop vomiting.
IBS Doctor Discussion Guide
You May Like: Does Omeprazole Cause Chest Pain
Constipation Can Cause Lower Back Pain
When waste has built up in your colon, it can put pressure on the nerves of the lower back.
Its normally the lower portion of the colon that becomes irritated from constipation. The longer the waste stays in the colon, the dryer and harder it becomes.
This causes one to strain and push using lower back muscles that are already stressed, adding even more constipation pain.
Why Does My Stomach Hurt
Tummy troubles are a common cause for a visit to the doctors office. Whenpatients complain of stomach pain, they are sometimes describing painthat is throughout the abdomen area and may not actually be directlyrelated to the organ known as the stomach.
Doctors first try to determine if a patients abdominal pain is caused by astructural or functional problem.
Sometimes the digestive tract does not function properly due to anabnormality with the structure of an organ. Medical imaging will show thatthe organ does not look normal and is not working properly.
Functional problems, also called motility disorders, are conditions thatresult from poor nerve and muscle function in the digestive tract. Organsthat are part of the gastrointestinal tract will usually look normal onmedical images, such asCT scansorMRI scans, but the organs do not work like they should.
The gastrointestinal system has its own nervous system to control themuscle contractions that digest the food you eat, saysDr. Linda Lee. Functional disorders can be difficult to diagnose, because we cannoteasily see problems with the nerves or muscles in the gastrointestinaltract.
Some of the conditions that could cause abdominal pain are:
Recommended Reading: Can Align Probiotic Cause Nausea
Improve Spinal Health With The Spine And Rehab Group
Constipation is a possible cause for lower back pain, but you should always get a full diagnosis before your doctor before settling it as the only cause. There are a myriad of factors that can trigger the symptoms of lower back pain, and its important to check for all possible conditions to catch any serious illnesses that may be developing.
At the Spine And Rehab Group, we believe in providing high-quality medical care and assistance for any sort of back pain, combined with a commitment to long-lasting solutions and excellent customer service. We have years of experience in treating most causes of back pain, with clinics all over New York that you can visit today.
When To See Your Doctor
In most cases, its possible to apply home remedies and management to back pain caused by constipation. The pain usually subsides once the blockage has been removed, though patients need to monitor themselves if theyre prone to bouts of constipation.
However, there are situations where its more advisable that you consult your doctor immediately about your lower back pain:
Recommended Reading: Does Almond Milk Cause Bloating
Signs And Symptoms Of Constipation
Constipation can be an uncomfortable problem. In severe cases, constipation can be painful or even life-threatening. Because normal bowel frequency can vary greatly from person to person, many people may not be entirely sure whether or not they are constipated.
Constipation is a medical condition in which bowel movements become less frequent than normal, and/or difficult to produce. While clinically defined as not producing bowel movements for three days or longer, if a person’s regular bowel schedule is two or three times a day, that person might be constipated if he or she hasn’t produced a single bowel movement after only one day.
Patients may be constipated if they are experiencing one or more of the following symptoms:
Abdominal pain and bloating. Constipated patients may feel tightness in their abdomen, or a sharp, cramping pain deep in their gut. They may also feel full all the timeas if they’ve just eaten a large mealeven when they haven’t eaten for several hours. Patients may also feel gassy, but passing gas does not relieve discomfort.
Small stools followed by a feeling of not emptying the bowels. Constipation may cause people to produce only tiny bowel movements. These tiny bowel movements are often followed by frequent and continued urges to “go,” but constipated patients may find they are unable to produce another bowel movement despite the constant urges.
When Youre Constipated And Have Hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids are swollen blood vessels that occur inside or outside the rectum. They can bleed and make bowel movements painful to pass.
This can be especially difficult if you have hemorrhoids with constipation because your bowel movements already may pass more slowly or be hard to pass. The combination of the two conditions can make going to the bathroom an extremely unpleasant experience.
However, if youre constipated and have hemorrhoids, you shouldnt try to put off going to the bathroom when the urge hits. Doing so can put further strain on the bowels and worsen hemorrhoids when you ultimately do pass the stool.
When you have hemorrhoids, changing the position of your body when you use the bathroom may help reduce pressure on the rectum. An example could be planting your feet on a small step stool as you go to the bathroom. This may make stool easier to pass.
Recommended Reading: Prenatal Vitamin Diarrhea
Symptoms Of Faecal Impaction
The symptoms of impaction are similar to the symptoms of constipation. But other more serious symptoms can occur. These include:
- back pain due to the mass of poo pressing on the nerves in your lower back
- a swollen tummy
- high or low blood pressure
- a fast heart rate
- explosive diarrhoea or diarrhoea that you have no control over
- feeling and being sick