(Foreword: The following information is provided as is, and should not be construed as an endorsement of any kind of the items mentioned. Furthermore, all readers should ask for the advice of a doctor when making choices concerning health. The writer is not a doctor and is providing the article from research obtained from third party sources.)
Numerous statistical figures have quoted that the impact of constipation to be as low as 2% to as high as 30%. A large recent 2006 survey conducted by the famous pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim pinpoints the number to be at 12% worldwide. Even at 2% though, most people would agree that constipation seems to be a problem afflicting a broad segment of the population.
One of the problems associated with statistical surveying of constipation is that it's a poorly defined condition. This translates into an impact on diagnosis and treatment. For example, one physician might believe that having a bowel movement every three days is ok, but another physician would be alarmed at the low frequency. The source of the inconsistent opinions is that bowel movement frequency is itself highly variable from person to person. This difficulty in definition is compounded by differences in patient-reported symptoms such as difficulty or pain in passing stool, or excessive time spend on the toilet.
After diagnosis, the patient and the physician must still face the task of trying to determine the fundamental cause of constipation. For some, the constellation of symptoms might suggest something such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). For others, incomplete control of muscles in the rectum due to trauma or injury can be a source of constipation. Yet for the largest group, there is no clear cause. This last group are classified into the "idiopathic" group.
The first step a patient diagnosed with idiopathic constipation might take is high fiber therapy, whether or not the patient's self-reported intake of fiber seems to be sufficient. The reason for this is that high fiber therapy is accessible and gentle on the patient. There are two ways to carry out the treatment, one by increasing intake of foods high in insoluble fiber, the other by dosing with specific amounts of fiber supplements. The advantage of high fiber therapy is that the success of the therapy also confirms the diagnosis.
Beyond fiber laxatives, there are some natural supplements that are well-known: lubricant laxatives (mineral and castor oils) and herbal remedies (senna) are two examples. Remember, the safety of a natural remedy is never guaranteed. A case in point concerns aloe vera and cascara, which were used as natural constipation treatments. In 2002, the FDA banned their marketing and manufacturing exactly for safety reasons.
There are also a number of prescription-only constipation medications available. Some of these act as laxatives, whereas others are special compounds that modulate the functional properties of the gastrointestinal tract. In recent times, exciting therapies such as biofeedback have also risen to prominence. Expect treatments for constipation to advanced greatly in the next few years.
Numerous statistical figures have quoted that the impact of constipation to be as low as 2% to as high as 30%. A large recent 2006 survey conducted by the famous pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim pinpoints the number to be at 12% worldwide. Even at 2% though, most people would agree that constipation seems to be a problem afflicting a broad segment of the population.
One of the problems associated with statistical surveying of constipation is that it's a poorly defined condition. This translates into an impact on diagnosis and treatment. For example, one physician might believe that having a bowel movement every three days is ok, but another physician would be alarmed at the low frequency. The source of the inconsistent opinions is that bowel movement frequency is itself highly variable from person to person. This difficulty in definition is compounded by differences in patient-reported symptoms such as difficulty or pain in passing stool, or excessive time spend on the toilet.
After diagnosis, the patient and the physician must still face the task of trying to determine the fundamental cause of constipation. For some, the constellation of symptoms might suggest something such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). For others, incomplete control of muscles in the rectum due to trauma or injury can be a source of constipation. Yet for the largest group, there is no clear cause. This last group are classified into the "idiopathic" group.
The first step a patient diagnosed with idiopathic constipation might take is high fiber therapy, whether or not the patient's self-reported intake of fiber seems to be sufficient. The reason for this is that high fiber therapy is accessible and gentle on the patient. There are two ways to carry out the treatment, one by increasing intake of foods high in insoluble fiber, the other by dosing with specific amounts of fiber supplements. The advantage of high fiber therapy is that the success of the therapy also confirms the diagnosis.
Beyond fiber laxatives, there are some natural supplements that are well-known: lubricant laxatives (mineral and castor oils) and herbal remedies (senna) are two examples. Remember, the safety of a natural remedy is never guaranteed. A case in point concerns aloe vera and cascara, which were used as natural constipation treatments. In 2002, the FDA banned their marketing and manufacturing exactly for safety reasons.
There are also a number of prescription-only constipation medications available. Some of these act as laxatives, whereas others are special compounds that modulate the functional properties of the gastrointestinal tract. In recent times, exciting therapies such as biofeedback have also risen to prominence. Expect treatments for constipation to advanced greatly in the next few years.
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