Best Tips: Immediate Constipation Relief at Home

Dr.Sharad Malhotra, 3 mins read

Remedies for immediate constipation relief at home” is a common question among people having difficulty passing stools. At such times, some simple modifications and healthy lifestyle modifications can help you get relief from the discomfort. Including more fibre in your diet, improving your water intake, considering effective exercises and consulting a specialist at Aakash Healthcare can help you. Sometimes, you may need an enema, laxative or suppository for quick constipation relief.

Tips to get constipation relief
Load up your plate with fibre
If the cause of your constipation is a low-fibre diet, filling up your plate with high-fibre foods can benefit you. These foods add volume to the stool to push it through the intestine and then finally out of the body. Include high-fibre foods in your diet such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. For example, you can have a breakfast of oatmeal with berries, a lunch of a salad with plenty of leafy greens, and a dinner of quinoa and roasted vegetables.

Drink plenty of water
Water is a must to kick out both solid and liquid waste from the body. Aim to drink at least 8-10 glasses of water per day. You can also include hydrating foods like watermelon, cucumber, and oranges in your diet. If you are constipated, drinking a large glass of water may trigger your bowel movement.

Get moving
Regular physical activity can help stimulate bowel movements. Try to incorporate at least 30 minutes of exercise into your daily routine. Activities like walking, jogging, yoga, or cycling can be beneficial. According to experts, bouts of yoga or walking improve blood flow throughout the abdomen which helps promote healthy bowel movements.

Laxatives
If natural remedies don't work, you may consider using over-the-counter laxatives. Based on your condition, the doctor may recommend you:

• Laxative stimulants: These medications help the intestine to trigger bowel movement. They take around 6 to 12 hours to show their effect.
• Osmotic laxatives: They work slightly differently and slowly than laxative stimulants. These medications push the fluid through the colon and may take 2 to 3 days to do their complete job.
• Lubricant laxatives: These laxatives add a slick coat to the intestines’ walls and stool. Thus, allowing the stools to hold water and move efficiently through the colon.

Stool softener
The scarcity of water in the body can cause dehydration which can lead to hard stools. In such a situation, a stool softener can moisten the stool by pooling water from the intestine. Thus, allowing the stool to exit the body.

Consider an enema or suppository
• Enema: It involves instilling liquid or gas into the rectum to push stools out of the body. An enema kit includes a bag or container, which holds the liquid or foam, attached to a tube or nozzle. Common types of enema include sodium phosphate, soapsuds and tap water enemas.

• Suppository: These are solid medications that are inserted into the rectum to soften the stools and promote bowel movements. Common types of suppositories used are bisacodyl and glycerin suppositories.

Try the squat position
Sitting in a squatting position on the toilet helps straighten the rectum. This helps in passing stools. For this, you can use a specially designed squatting platform.

Colonic massage
Gently massaging the abdomen in a circular motion can also benefit you (sometimes).

Natural remedies
Prunes, flaxseeds, aloe vera juice, and probiotics are believed to be helpful. Incorporating these into your diet may help regulate your bowel movements.

It's important to note that if you experience chronic or severe constipation, it's best to consult a healthcare professional for proper diagnosis and treatment.