The 
adult colon, also called the large intestine, is about 5 feet long. Its job is to absorb water and salts from partially digested food that enters from the small intestine and then send waste out of the body. Sometimes, because of congenital abnormalities or problems that develop with age, it doesn’t do that last part so well.
If you have a congenital abnormality, you have already gotten medical advice on voiding your colon, so this article is directed to the people who occasionally get into constipation problems.
This is not to say that constipation is a minor problem. It may be caused by an anatomic problem, an obstruction such as a tumor, that can be corrected only by surgery. Anatomic problems can block the passage of food through the digestive system. Some problems can become life-threatening. Symptoms of anatomic problems include abdominal pain, abdominal distension, vomiting, and diarrhea or constipation. Should constipation persist for more than a few days, or if there is significant pain associated with it, you would be well advised to see a doctor about it.
The Symptoms of Constipation
Constipation is defined as having less than three bowel movements per week. Stools are typically hard, dry, small in size, and difficult to eliminate, making bowel movements painful. With it comes intestinal bloating and discomfort. It is a symptom, usually of a poor diet combined with an aging digestive system, not a disease. It’s one of the most common gastrointestinal complaints, most common in women and adults ages 65 and older. It’s also associated with pregnancy and the post-partum period.
Constipation is clinically diagnosed when a patient has any two of the following symptoms for at least 12 weeks (not necessarily consecutive) in the last 12 months:
- Straining during bowel movements
- Lumpy or hard stool
- Sensation of incomplete evacuation
- Sensation of anorectal blockage/obstruction
- Fewer than three bowel movements per week.
What Causes Constipation?
If you ignore the urge to have a bowel movement, you will eventually stop feeling the need to have one, which can lead to constipation. Some people delay having a bowel movement because they do not want to use toilets outside the home. Others ignore the urge because of emotional stress or because they are too busy. Children may postpone having a bowel movement because of stressful toilet training or because they do not want to interrupt their play.
Constipation occurs during pregnancy because of hormonal changes or because the uterus compresses the intestine. Aging may also affect bowel regularity, because a slower metabolism results in less intestinal activity and muscle tone. In addition, people often become constipated when traveling, because their normal diet and daily routine are disrupted.
Diseases that cause constipation include multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, spinal cord injuries, diabetes, uremia, lupus, scleroderma, intestinal obstruction, scar tissue (adhesions), diverticulosis, tumors, colorectal stricture, cancer, and pelvic floor dysfunction.
How to Cleanse Your Colon
The most common way of self-treating constipation is with over–the–counter (OTC) laxatives. By far the most common procedure, around $725 million is spent on laxative products each year in the U.S. alone! Although laxatives may provide relief, users must increase the dose over time because the body grows reliant on laxatives in order to have a bowel movement. As a result, laxatives may become habit-forming.
Most people who are mildly constipated don’t need laxatives. However, when diet and lifestyle changes have not worked, a doctor may recommend laxatives or enemas for a limited time to retrain a chronically sluggish bowel. Laxatives taken by mouth are available in liquid, tablet, gum powder, and granule forms.
Laxatives
Laxatives work in one of several ways:
- Bulk-forming laxatives are fiber supplements that absorb water in the intestine and make the stool softer. Brand names include Metamucil and Citrucel. These agents must be taken with water or they can cause obstruction.
- Stimulants like Dulcolax and Senokot cause rhythmic muscle contractions in the intestines. The FDA has proposed a ban on the possibly carcinogen, phenolphthalein, which is an ingredient in some stimulant laxatives. Most laxative makers have replaced, or plan to replace, phenolphthalein with a safer ingredient.
- Osmotics like Sorbitol cause fluids to flow in a special way through the colon, resulting in bowel distention. They are not recommended for diabetics.
- Stool softeners, for example, Colace, moisten the stool and prevent dehydration. Prolonged use may result in an electrolyte imbalance.
- Lubricants grease the stool and typically stimulate a bowel movement within 8 hours.
- Saline laxatives act like a sponge to draw water into the colon for easier passage of stool. Brand names include Milk of Magnesia and Haley’s M-O. Saline laxatives are used to treat acute constipation if there is no indication of bowel obstruction.
- Chloride channel activators such as Amitiza increase intestinal fluid and motility and can be safely used for up to 6 to 12 months.
- Serotonin agonists help the muscles in the intestines work correctly when a slow-moving digestive system is caused by low levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter found in the digestive tract.
Lifestyle Changes
Other non-laxative, useful therapies include:
- Put more fiber in your diet. Fiber—both soluble and insoluble—is the part of fruits, vegetables, and grains that the body cannot digest. Soluble fiber dissolves easily in water and takes on a soft, gel-like texture in the intestines. Insoluble fiber, like that found in bran and psyllium, passes through the intestines almost unchanged. A diet high in fats, such as cheese, eggs, and meats, is counter-productive. Fiber is even more important among the elderly, yet the elderly tend to temp constipation through the consumption of low-fiber, easy-to-prepare processed cheap meals.
- Drinking more. Although increased fluid intake does not necessarily help relieve constipation, it does help some people. Liquids add fluid to the colon and bulk to stools, making bowel movements softer and easier to pass. People who have problems with constipation should try to drink liquids every day.
- Avoiding alcohol and caffeinated beverages, such as coffee and cola drinks, which will worsen one’s symptoms through dehydration.
- Getting more physical activity. Low activity is an especially common cause of constipation, although doctors do not know precisely why. It’s thought to be one of the reasons constipation is common in older people.
- If the constipation has come on with the beginning of a course of medications, notify the prescribing doctor to get her advice on what to do. Watch out for medications that can cause constipation, including:
- Pain medications (especially narcotics)
- Antacids that contain aluminum and calcium
- Blood pressure medications (calcium channel blockers)
- Antiparkinson drugs
- antispasmodics
- Antidepressants
- Iron supplements
- Diuretics
- Anticonvulsants
- Milk and dairy products have a tendency to bind some people up. Stop consuming them, at least for a while.
Enemas
In cases where the bowel becomes impacted, an enema may be recommended in conjunction with a dose of mineral oil to soften the stool. A doctor may then insert one or two fingers into the anus to break up and remove part of the hardened stool.
One more treatment for intestinal blockage (and, according to its advocates, about 3,000 other diseases) is called high colonic irrigation. It consists of sticking a modified hose nozzle into the patient’s rectum, then alternately pumping in water and pumping it out. The treatment is looked upon by most physicians with serious disdain, seeing it as “an expensive enema.”
Hi. I feel I should share my experience. My husband died from bowel compaction. He was in long term care and eating white bread and big bran muffins every nite without enough water. The doctor wanted to operate, but we said no as he had sleep apnea and was 75 years old.
It is important to eat yogurt; brown rice is good…white bread isn’t…if you eat bran muffins, which is good, you must drink lots of water. I also take coffee enemas once in a while…take two in a row to keep fermenting stuff out…lots of veggies and fruit water is very, very important. Hope this helps, and walking. Good luck to all.
Take about five dried prunes, put them in a coffee mug, boil water, enough to fill the coffee mug, then pour the water over the prunes; let them soften a few minutes. When cool enough to drink, drink the water and eat the prunes. I was told by my primary doc. to do this before bed to insure a bowel movement by morning.
Not long ago, my daughter had a time period of one month where she did not go at all. Her pain got so bad that she couldn’t walk properly (I was not aware she wasn’t going until this point). She was admitted at the hospital with blockage so severe they were talking about surgery to remove the fecal matter. After watching my daughter suffer for three days while specialist after specialist argued about the surgery, I refused, took my daughter home, and gave her warm senna tea and a castor oil enema. She was completely clear in less than four hours.
Oatmeal, Oatmeal, Oatmeal. I have oatmeal 1-2 time a day. Sometimes with strawberry’s, sometimes with bananas.
But be sure to get the Quaker Oats kind, and if that doesn’t work buy fiber one cereal.
P.S. If your going to go the fiber cereal &/or oatmeal route, use soy or organic milk so not to contradict the process.
Eat a pomegranate or two every day for 2-3 days. They taste really good, and they’re an amazing source of fiber. They’re the natural detox/cleanse. Also, since the seeds are chewed up and are insoluble, they’ll pick up any stray stuff left in your colon. Plus they taste amazing, and are much better than prunes. They have more vitamins/antioxidants too.
Mary,
Why the laughing? Constipation is a serious medical condition, unbelievably painful, and is currently destroying my life. I would not wish it on anyone, but maybe wish it on you just once – I don’t think you would be LOLing anymore. Really, please do tell us, what is so funny?
Thanks.
It takes so much time to clean up my stool. I feel uneasy if my stool is not clean. My belly seems too full of air, but my stool is soft, not hard. What can I do? Please e-mail me!
Water. It is supposed to help your digestive system if you drink a lot of water every day. The amount you are supposed to drink is different for everyone. It helps regulate your digestive system and it also does other great stuff for your body. But if you really need to go at the moment try sitting on the toilet with your knees up. It sounds weird but it helps me every time. Good luck!
The one thing that keeps me going three times a day with no pushing, is pumpkin seeds. They are very tasty, as well.
I have been having the worst abdominal pain ever off and on for several years and I have went to the emergency room three times and each time it’s a different diagnosis. Once it was inflammation of my intestines, next was peptic ulcers; finally, on the third trip to the E.R., they did x-rays and the doctor said I was backed up and I thought that’s crazy because the pain I feel is unbearable…needless to say, I have tried milk of magnesia, suppositories, and nothing has worked yet. I don’t know what else to do because people swear by these products and nothing has come from it for me. Is their something else I can do, like a pill I take to cleanse my colon ASAP?
TJ,
Ask a pharmacist. Let them know exactly what you have taken and any other health concerns you have as well. They will be able to recommend a product for you or at least point you to the aisle where they sell colon cleansing medicines.
Here is a complete guide to fix your problem:
Do all this
1. Buy Metamucil. Take only 2 tablespoons of Metamucil 1 hour after dinner.
2. Buy 5 avocados and eat 1 with dinner.
3. Buy Oikos Dannon Greek Yogurt and eat 1 of them with dinner.
4. Have 2 servings of oatmeal
5. For dinner, have a good size meal, but no cheese!
6. Drink 2 gallons of water throughout the whole day.
7. Take 2 magnesium pills and 2 daily vitamins.
8. Let the Metamucil digest for 1 hour after taking it.
9. Then, right before bed, drink 1 cup of prune juice.
10. Then wake up early in the morning between 6-9 A.M. and drink about a half gallon of water and drink another 1 cup of prune juice. DO NOT EAT ANY BREAKFAST UNTIL YOU POOP A LOT! Breakfast will ruin everything if you have it before you poop.
11. You will be on the toilet for 30-60 minutes pooping, just be patient, the poop will come out big.
12. If you haven’t pooped in the morning within 4 hours of waking up, drink a half cup of cold coffee. This will stimulate your bowels and it won’t be too much coffee to make you constipated.
Jasmin, a piece of advice would be to give yourself a couple days off of work and take a powdered stool softener that will dissolve in water. Every morning for three mornings in a row, drink an eight ounce glass of water with 1 average plastic utensil sized utensil full of the stool softener. Stay away from anything processed. A little vegetables and fruits go a long way, but in moderation these three days. Drink tons of water. I cannot tell you how important it is to drink tons of water. If you don’t care about one day of discomfort, down a whole bottle of magnesium citrate (lemon flavored) and chug it while you hold your nose. I was painfully constipated before I drank that bottle, but it cleans out your intestines fully. I promise you’ll feel better if you do either option.
I am type 2 diabetic and have been getting bloated, constipated, pain, plugs, runs, abdominal bloating for a few weeks ago now. I managed to relieve myself of some backed up poo, but I have a hard rock feeling and bloating in my upper abdomen. It’s not my gall bladder because its already gone a few years ago. I believe this to be diabetes related. What can I do to bring myself relief? Thanks!
I had the same feeling after taking Bisacodyl. Something was there, so I took 8 oz of prune juice & mixed w/ 2 tablespoons milk of magnesia. Within 4 hours, everything was gone. ????
Drink 8 glasses of water daily. Breads and cheese will always clog you up. The more water, the better. Because water flushes out the toxins in your system. If you drink 10 glasses of water daily, you shouldn’t have a problem being plugged up, lol.
It’s the American diet. You can’t eat crap and expect to crap like normal healthy people, lol. French fries and burger could plug you up, if you drink pop and skip out on the water. Eat more veggies and fish and leaner meats. Pork and red meat is okay, in moderation. But, chicken and fish is 10x better for you. Shellfish is okay once a week and so is pork and red meat. You can’t quit cold turkey. You have to use baby steps to eat healthy. Eat at least one healthy meal a day for a month, with 8 glasses of water. Then on the second month, eat two healthy meals a day for a month. Then continue until you’re eating healthy meals everyday. On Sat. or Sun., eat whatever you want. However, you should limit yourself one cheat day per week.
My suggestions:
– 1 tablespoon of olive oil before bed
– Drink coffee in the morning before having breakfast. I also drink several cups of coffee throughout the day and I believe this helps, but definitely in the morning on an empty stomach it will help.
Lately I have been manually removing faeces while in the shower (and flushing away after). Sometimes have a little blood afterwards. Do you think this could be harmful? Appreciate all the helpful comments – didn’t think I’d find a site like this.
Claire,
You should know that if you accidentally perforate the anal canal (either by scraping it with a fingernail or from stretching it so much/forcibly that it tears), you could die within just a few hours. I’m not saying that is the cause of the blood – the blood could be caused by many different things – I just want to make sure you know what you’re risking. If you perforate your anal canal, you could need emergency surgery (or die before you get the surgery). Usually people are aware that they’re feeling bad enough to seek help, but I just want you to be aware that if you do feel bad (or worse than usual, or like you have the flu), you shouldn’t ignore it.
Regardless of that though, being at the point where you are (feeling like you need to forcibly, manually remove the feces), I think that’s definitely the point where you decide to go to the doctor, or at least make some drastic changes to your diet and lifestyle to (hopefully) clear up the problem.
One thing this article doesn’t mention is the harmful ingredients in food that most people don’t even realize they’re eating. Carrageenan is one that is even allowed in products labeled as organic because it comes from seaweed. Research every ingredient in the products you eat. Don’t just look up what the ingredient is; look up what it’s side effects are. It’s time consuming to stand there in the grocery store with your smartphone googling ingredients before you buy something, but you eventually remember which products are safe to buy and which aren’t. I’m not saying that you necessarily have to give anything up (only you or your doctor can tell yourself that), I’m just saying that you should buy the healthiest version of whatever it is, even candy.
Source: Internet Journal of Medical Update – FATAL GASTROINTESTINAL PERFORATIONS IN SUDDEN DEATH CASES IN LAST 10 YEARS AT UMMC- MALAYSIA
Source: Mayo Clinic – Rectal Bleeding
Source: allwomenstalk – 7 harmful additives in food to avoid that might be causing your stomach problems…
So three bowel movements per week is still not considered constipation? That’s just straight up ridicules. Hate articles that just repeat the stupidity from the medical cartels. Seems no one has an original thought of their own here.
Hi, I’m only thirteen and I’m a little fat, but I have never had a problem like this before. I ate some baby cereal with milk and it didn’t have much milk and that night I had trouble sleeping and I’ve vomited a few times and starved myself and I can’t move a bowel. It’s been two days of this and I can’t take it. Please help.
Kareem,
You need to tell an adult about this right away. Vomiting is very serious. When you vomit, you can very quickly become dehydrated to a dangerous point, among other things (loss of electrolytes, etc.). The other symptoms you have mentioned are serious as well. You should see a doctor to determine the cause so that you can make sure it doesn’t happen again and also to determine the right treatment.
Hi Nancy, I also have similar symptoms of sleepless nights due to lack of proper bowel movement. But mine is not so severe. The fact is that the fecal matter is reabsorbed by the blood stream and the liver is put under more pressure to eject the matter. So the stomach becomes distended by overworking the liver. The best remedy for this is to do yoga….do not do power yoga, but do general breathing yoga and stretching, because yoga will stretch and massage the abdominal muscles, which other exercises cannot do. Might want to start of slowly, but for me, whenever I do yoga, my bowels empty frequently, if not completely in one go. The other thing is to drink some warm water mixed with rock salt or black salt. It is pink in color and just mix a little bit of it in warm water and drink slowly. That should alleviate most of your symptoms.
Help:
I have a distended stomach, painful abdomen, throwing-up, nausia, on-and-off slight fevers and I can’t have a bowel movement. I started off by throwing-up a lot, I had to go to the ER two times because of that. The fourth time I went, they finally did a CAT scan and the doctor told me that it was severly “compacted.” However, everything we have tried to unblock it with has not worked. I’ve tried PEG-3500 with Electrolytes (two times), stopped eating (had to), ate half a box of prunes, apple, pineapple, stool softeners, a couple doses of swollowing oil, but it’s still hard to the touch in places, I get the sweats, I feel totally blocked up, and there is some pressure in my rear area but nothing ever comes out. We’ve tried the finger menthod, but he said he didn’t touch anything and that it wasn’t down that far. Yesterday, I tried an olive oil enema (I read that this is a surefire way to get it out), but still nothing came out – not even the oil. That concerned me. Oh, the doctor also said that I was “inflammed,” so he prescribed something to take for that. It is very uncomfortable, sometimes very painful, nuisance; I have no energy and I’m always tired. I’m tired of feeling sick; it is very hard to sleep with my stomach this way. I only get a couple hours each night if that. I have tried about everything to get my bowels moving and nothing is working. Can anyone please help? I don’t want to end up in the ER again with severe pain. I appreciate any thoughts. Thank you, Nancy
Magnesium citrate, 1 bottle, will clear out anyone’s colon. Cheap, and very effective…
Nancy, I had a CT scan yesterday. They found I am impacted and had a lot of stool that was causing me a lot of pain for a couple weeks!! May be this will help you, if not, I would not take NO from these doctors…
The doctor told me to drink 2 bottles of Magnesium Sulfate, it comes over the counter in glass bottles, clear or green, pour it over ice and drink fast…then later, I’m waiting ’til tomorrow to do a Dulcalax suppository…if that doesn’t help, please seek help for a real doctor!!!!
I’m trying the olive oil and lemon juice to see if it will unblock me because I’m stopped up inside.
I find that if I haven’t had a bowel movement for several days and I am waiting for my stool softener or prune juice to work, sometimes I get massive abdominal pain. I believe it is because I have a “plug” that needs to come out while all the other poo is pushing its way through. I have to get rid of that initial “plug.” The pain is nauseating! I use a Fleet Enema to get rid of the plug and the rest moves freely. The best thing to do is to find a method that works for you and use it daily! If you miss even one day, you may end up with a “plug” with loose stool behind it that you just can’t get out without using an enema. The enema has been a lifesaver when I am clinging to the sink, rubbing my tummy, and rocking back and forth on the potty praying to God in Heaven to just let me “go!”
I have found that prune juice is the way to clean out, I drink a glass-full every night or in the morning if I’m staying home. Also I drink tea and eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich after to get rid of the taste.
I was sitting next to a lady in the taxi one day and she was reading an article by Dr. Matura regarding Colon Problems. I briefly saw that the symptoms were: constant headaches, constipation, drowsiness, heartburn, and tiredness. When I read this, I was shocked, because those were all things I suffered from. Do I have a problem here?
I agree with the apples, and an apple a day keeps the doctor away!
Not a laughing matter. Maybe someday you will experience how painful & debilitating it can be. Try some compassion or zip it!
I feel bloated. Can someone tell me, if I drink prune juice to clear me out, will it help?
Thank you. Really appreciate all the advice; such an awful situation to us sufferers.
Although frowned upon by many, I found that taking a few puffs on a cigarette upset my stomach, which in turn, gave the doo-doo no other choice but to plop out; and it’s one of those bowel movements you feel the need to take a shower afterwards!
Happy Crappin’.
Your advice was my solution. Nothing is as discouraging as when you’re n trouble with no council to fall back to. I took fruits, but in the evening of the same day I went to an open field and used my finger through my anus…painful time, but thanks a lot! God!
My six-year-old son has been dealing with chronic constipation/holding his stool for about four years, so I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for your advice. Some of these I’ve seen/used before, but there were quite a few that I’m hoping will help him. So again, thanks.
So I’m 18 years old, and every time I go to the bathroom I feel a sharp pain in my back, and my rear. The stool that’s inside isn’t coming out, and has me in pain for days. What can I do?
No two people are the same, but I’ve always had a sensitive stomach and have never had any problems taking The Lady Soma Fiber Cleanse over the last few months. I initially purchased a bottle as part of a new fitness regimen, and my results were regular and, shall we say, voluminous (the first few days were particularly productive). Never any diarrhea, never any bloating; just the best digestive health and regularity of my life, though keep in mind, I’m pairing its use with better diet and regular exercise. Can’t recommend this stuff highly enough.
Don’t eat anything all day (difficult, yes, but it’s easier that way). Drink coffee all day. I know people are always saying coffee is bad for constipation because it’s a stimulant, but if that was true, then the coffee enema would never have been invented. As it happens, you need a stimulant, to stimulate your bowel and get it moving, duh. lol. Also, do abdominal exercises three times a day just to ensure the bowel gets moving. A few teaspoonfuls of Peanut Butter eaten straight from the teaspoon. Usually this works. Best of luck. I think the main thing is don’t eat for quite a few days. If you get a huge stool that’s halfway out, but still too difficult to pass cos it stings your anal area, try rocking back and forth a few times on the toilet, and then lean back while sat on the toilet. Leaning back somehow makes it easier to pass, and makes it less painful than if you lean forward.
Eat nothing but bananas, mangoes, apples, oranges, and grapes all day until you get all the feces out of your system. It’s super effective.
If you want to use the medicinal method, use “Lactulose” (Dhactulose syrup). Keep drinking it as directed and you will have a strong urge to defecate. Just don’t take too much, otherwise you’ll have diarrhea – the complete opposite of constipation. But at least it’s better than being constipated.
Drink two glasses of prune juice a day and scarf down prunes. =O It will be out by lunch time! =P
For an intensive colon cleansing, I suggest going on a detox or cleanse diet and pairing it up with a natural colon cleanse supplement. Note that the supplement may not necessarily be a specific brand, but could also be an herb or a fruit.
This is no quick fix, but a strategy for long term management. Eat a bran muffin, or an apple, or a bowl of oatmeal, every day; you will soon be quite regular.
Make Popsicles from prune juice and have one a day.
When you have an emergency at night time, waking up with a lot of pain in your intestine, go to the bathroom and nothing comes out… Open up a bottle of olive oil, drink a lot and drink water on top of that, do some jumping jacks to make it mix faster and distract the pain from hurting you and focus on getting tired from the jumping jacks instead. When you are tired from the jumping jacks, stop and move your arms around, walk around the room and go back to bed, believe me, it will come out.
Water. Has everybody forgotten about this? It’s the most natural and inexpensive product that you can find. If you drink enough of it, it does work every time – on most people.
Day 1: Mix 1 gallon of distilled water with a half gallon of 100% pasteurized apple juice (not from concentrate) and 2 teaspoons of sea salt. Pour the mixture back into the containers (repeat process). DO NOT CONSUME ANY FOOD OR LIQUID!! Drink this mixture throughout the day, at least one gallon. In this case, more is better.
Day 2: Ingredients: half gallon of 100% pasteurized apple juice, (4) sweet potatoes, (1) rutabaga, (1) fresh pineapple core, (3) apples, (4) carrots, and a few sprigs of Italian parsley. Chop the ingredients and mix in a blender using the apple juice to serve as the liquid agent needed for the food to blend. Blend to the consistency of a thick and hearty apple sauce. Drink/eat mixture all day. DO NOT CONSUME ANY OTHER FOOD!! YOU MAY DRINK WATER ONLY!! At bedtime, drink 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil and 1/4 squeezed lemon juice. Sleep on the left side of your body. BE PREPARED FOR WHAT MAY COME OUT OF YOUR BODY. GOOD HEALTH TO YOU!
Apple juice or apples will regulate your system! Try it!
Why not buy yourself a squatty potty? Squat with the best of ’em and get rid of the parasites and 30 years of crap while your at it.
The only thing that seems to work for constipation, and I’ve tried a lot of things, is two or three stool softners or laxatives if you need it with some water or orange juice or apple cider.
Help!? I woke up this morning with severe cramps and the sense of urgency, but when I got there nothing happened. I got the sensation of a huge blockage. Finally I was able to force out a little, a few hard little turds, and then had more pain. Then, I started to become nauseated. There was gurgling noises in my abdomen, and bouts of pain every few seconds. Finally, a few more “rabbit turds” came out and then after that a little diarrhea followed. This relieved some pain for a bit, and now I’m just laying here in bed feeling it all build back up again. I know there is a lot in me that needs to be cleansed out. I have read all your advice, and feel overwhelmed at which may be best for me. I don’t need anything that will add to my abdominal pain; I just need some relief. Please! I feel like Elvis!
Try liquid magnesium chloride. Constipation may be a magnesium deficiency, so try magnesium chloride and magnesium citrate; it has to be elementary and find out your dose. Good luck. Paula
Thank you Melanie for your advice and comments which I’ve taken on board. I have made some changes to my diet and am very happy with the results. I have other medical issues and unfortunately most of the medication I currently take include possible side effects, including constipation/diarrhea! Thanks again.
Grow milk kefir and after fermenting it for 24 hours, drain it. Make it into a fruits or veggies smoothie. Drink a lot of water throughout the day. Take 6 to 12 servings of vegetables and 2 servings per day without carbs; it helps.
Coffee enemas. Read up on Gerson therapy, a natural-based treatment for cancer and other degenerative diseases. Added benefit is the elimination of my lifelong constipation problem.
Kareem,
You might be lactose intolerant. Milk and dairy products can have constipating effects.
One of the best compilations I have ever read in my life. Highly useful. Thanking one hundred times all the contributors.
Try inserting hot water through the anus. If you really can’t go, it works immediately.
Hey Steve, you said Fleet should not be used, but you did not let us know what kind of enemas you use. Was it from a health food store, because I have only seen the fleet (in K-mart). I have been clogged up for a while now (constipation is an understatement). I do have a bowel movement everyday, but it feels incomplete. I don’t know if is because of a hormonal imbalance. Please help!!!
The best way to clean your colon is a properly prepared and administered enema. Not Fleets, as they do no qualify as an enema, but more a chemical based local laxative and tend to cause dependence. Enemas have been used since the times of ancient civilization and not only clean, but also condition the bowel for better function. When oral solutions (even something like prune juice) are taken, the muscles higher in the bowel strain against the blockages lower down resulting in the cramps, discomfort, pain described by many above and results in weakening of the muscles by continual strain and dependency on more and more oral methods, which is why laxatives are habit forming. A diet high in vegetable content and enough water is of great value, but modern lifestyles make the age-old enema an effective and most natural way to clean and condition the colon because it acts at the source from the bottom up allowing the muscles to work to clear out hardened and accumulated wastes, which have been loosened by the enema solution. The best cleansing enema is as much warm water as one can take into the colon with a little castile or peppermint soap added; a second enema of plain water can be taken as a rinse. A colon tube helps deliver the solution higher into the colon and is preferable to a hard nozzle. I have a long colon and suffered from a sluggish bowel, but regular enemas have set me free from reliance on methods that simply force softer stool past the hard and diminish muscle tone as they stay in the digestive tract for hours. Bowel function between the enemas is flawless and comfortable. Just as we pay attention to oral hygiene (clean our mouths), we should do the same for colon hygiene and will reap many benefits for our health as a result. It’s been the best kept health secret for centuries! Yes enemas!
By the way, Tiffany… he may be holding his stool so as not to miss anything, ie, a video game, television program, whatever. And it may not even be constipation. My brother was like that at six; lasted until he was ten. Doc thought he has Crohns… nope. Kids are weird that way. If you’re watching a video and he starts getting antsy, pause it and have him use the bathroom. 🙂
That picture is too funny at the top. Oh my goodness. 😀
Thanks for the advice everyone!!!
Tiffany,
Your son may have candida, which would cause his constipation. Please read about that. I would start with oil of oregano, candex and apple cider vinegar.
Prune juice. Prune juice.
8 oz prune juice with 2 tablespoons milk of magnesia. Feeling better!!!!
Reading these comments made me go number-two because I laughed so hard; thank you. LOL.
If you’re constipated and do the Epsom salt method, how will that effect you worse? Because I do find it hard to unclog myself, and it does get painful at times. So if I do the Epsom with lemon, will it help the pain ease when I go to the loo? Please help. I just hate going to the loo knowing I haven’t gone to the loo in a few days. Thank you.
I’m 21-years-old and am indeed overweight, but for the past 4-5 days, I have had lower back pain. I noticed first when I would lay down to sleep; I was having issues falling asleep. Over the next couple of days, I noticed that I wasn’t having bowel movements like I usually did. I want to be sure it is my bowels, and not my back. The pain just surges occasionally, and is not pleasant at all. I just want to go back to normal. It’s kind of scary because this hasn’t happened to me before.
This works within 30 minutes for me. Take four teaspoons of Epsom salt stirred/dissolved in warm water. It’s not the best taste, so add lemon juice if needed. Be prepared to stay around the house because this will flush your colon. This method does not cause stomach cramps. I never need to take a second dose, however if needed you can repeat it four hours later. THIS HAS PROVEN TO BE THE BEST METHOD.
Does this work for a compacted bowel ?
Prunes really didn’t work for me, but late at night, before, bedtime I drink prune juice, just eight ounces a night. I have went three days in a row, which is very nice since I have had years of problems. Hoping this will do the trick; so far, so good!
The cure for constipation is:
1. Apples
2. Pears
3. Grapes
4. Prunes
5. Rhubarb
6. lots of water
7. Milk of Magnesia (if all else fails)
8. If you are diabetic, stop taking Pioglitizone and change your meds to some other medication.
Salmonella Peanut products – will pass things from all openings. Actually, water, fresh fruit & veggies (your choice), and fiber in the morning works.
Fruit juice in the morning, water throughout the day, tea at night. If you feel like something sweet, put a teaspoon of honey in your tea.
Cut out as many processed foods as possible – try to buy local, grow some of your own freshies in a green house or window as supplements. Go for a walk or pooper scoop the yard – activity is where it’s at – not behind a monitor on a keyboard.
First, print out all of these “juicy comments.”
Then…
Put them all in the blender.
Add liquid…
Enjoy ! ! ! !
Oncologist recommends pear juice or prunes. Excellent results for constipation following chemo.
I LOVED your tip!! How very clever you are. Laughed so hard, it worked!!
Tools I used and works.
Water: about one gallon. No carbs for 3-9 days. It is really hard, but you won’t feel bloated and have gas or issues and your body will depend on fuel for food like fruit and veggies and fish – NO MEAT. Everything that is processed should not be eaten during this period.
This is how celebrities get in shape before red carpet events and you will see the difference in ONE DAY. Your tummy will look flatter and in few days, you will have dropped unwanted pounds of lard.
Good luck and don’t forget to workout since it helps move bowel moments.
Inexpensive & quick. Epsom salt, 2-4 tsp., in an 8 oz glass of water. Works for me in 2-3 hours. Don’t plan on leaving the house. LOL