Constipation/ Treatment of constipation by Homoeopathy
Constipation is slow movements of intestines and/or difficulty in passing stools that stays for many weeks, months or even longer.
It is one of the commonest gastro-intestinal complaints and affects almost 2% of the population on a chronic basis globally. A large number of people wrongly believe themselves to be suffering from constipation if they do not get a bowel movement every day. The medical understanding of the disorder 'constipation' is, however, slightly different from this. Having less than three bowel movements a week is termed as constipation. In addition, having hard stools or requiring to strain at stools for a long time also constitutes constipation.
Occasional constipation although very common, few people suffer from chronic or long lasting constipation. Such constipation may interfere with the patient's ability to carry out and finish their daily tasks. Constipation is also likely to cause lot of straining at stool or having a bowel movement which may further cause other signs and symptoms.
Causes of Constipation
1. Blockages in the colon or rectum which may be a result of anal fissure, large bowel obstruction, cancer of the large intestine, narrowing of the colon which may be caused by a bowel stricture, other cancers of the abdomen that can presses upon the colon, cancer of the rectum, bulging of the rectum through the back wall of the vagina (rectocele)
2. Problems with the muscles of the pelvis involved in having a bowel movement can also cause chronic constipation. These problems may include, inability to relax muscles of the pelvis to allow for a smooth bowel movement, pelvic muscles not coordinating between relaxation and contraction in the right way, weakness of the pelvic muscles
3. Problems with the network of nerves around the rectum and colon-which may be due to autonomic neuropathy(illness of the automated part of the nervous system), multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, injury to the spinal cord, stroke, difficulty with the muscles involved in removal of stools
4. Conditions that affect hormones in the body may include diabetes, an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), an overactive parathyroid gland (hyperparathyroidism) and pregnancy.
What are the signs and symptoms of constipation?
1. The person passes less than three stools in a week
2. Experiencing lumpy or hard stools
3. Lot of straining for bowel movements
4. There is a feeling as if there is a block in your rectum (the place where stool is stored in its final stages) which prevents bowel movements
5. There is a feeling as if you cannot completely evacuate stools from the rectum
6. Needing help to empty your rectum, such as using your hands to press on your abdomen and using a finger to remove stool from your rectum
Factors which are likely to cause an increase in your risk of having constipation may include
• Old age
• Female are more prone
• Dehydration may increase the risk of constipation
• Eating a low fiber diet
• Having little no physical activity whatsoever
• Some of the medications like narcotics, sedatives, depression medicines or medicines that lower blood pressure
• Mental health issue like depression or eating disorder
What are the complications of constipation?
• Swollen veins in the anus (also known as hemorrhoids or piles) Torn skin in your anus (anal fissure).
• A very large or hard stool may cause the some part of the wall of the anus to tear.
• Impacted stools or the stool that cannot be expelled from the rectum.
• Constipation may also cause accumulation of hard stools that may get stuck in your intestines.
• Prolapsed rectum or intestine that bulges from the anus. Straining for stools may cause a small part of the rectum to stretch itself and protrude from the anus.
Homoeopathic approach towards constipation
Homeopathy understands constipation not just as a disease. It is instead a sign of some underlying disturbance. Homeopathy aims at understanding the entire person suffering from the illness, thus also helping her/him to deal with the illness in a better fashion. Homoeopathic medicines are natural and absolutely safe to consume. They can help treat constipation very well. Homeopathic medicines help treat the root-cause of constipation, the cause that is responsible for the condition without any side effects or damage in the long run. It is always recommended to start homeopathy as the first line of treatment for constipation. It is recommended that one should not wait for your constipation to become chronic
Homeopaths have treated constipation with good results for many years now and the response to treatment is very promising in Homeopathy. The goodness of homeopathy also lies in the fact that the medicines are safe and non-habit-forming unlike conventional laxatives which create a dependence in patients.
Lifestyle modifications that support treatment
• Avoid processed foods, dairy and non-vegetarian foods.
• Do regular and moderate exercise
• Try to manage stress.
• Consume lot of high-fiber food which also includes vegetables, beans, , whole grains, fruits, bran and cereals.
• Pass stool whenever there is an urge, do not suppress the urge to pass stools.
• Hydrate yourself well by drinking plenty of fluids.
• Children who begin to eat solid foods must get lot of fiber in their diets.
• Creating a regular schedule for bowel movements can especially help relieve constipation.
An outcome of errant eating habits and sedentary lifestyle in most cases, constipation is a very common complaint and tends to be under-diagnosed since most patients usually prefer to try a lot of home remedies rather than reporting for treatment. The belief that constipation leads to accumulation of toxins in blood also results in significant abuse of laxatives and purgatives by patients.