Actually, the No. 1 doctor-recommended treatment for constipation is so effective that it counts as ALL of the top five.
Constipation stinks (no pun intended). It hurts and in some cases can feel as though a brick is stuck halfway in and halfway out of your anus.
It may also require a trip to the ER so that a doctor or physician’s assistant can — with their fingers — try to pull out as much of the impacted fecal material as possible.
Usually an enema (inserted into the anus) is given to assist with the removal.
It takes about 15 minutes to begin working, and the result is a lot of liquid smelly diarrhea that seems to keep coming and coming.
But even if your constipation doesn’t get this bad, it’s still a pain to have.
You Don’t Have to Suffer from Constipation: Natural Treatment
“The top five natural treatments for constipation should ALL be powder fiber,” says Sander R. Binderow, MD, FACS, FASCRS, with Atlanta Colon & Rectal Surgery.
“Fiber is the only natural product that is not a laxative, because even naturally-occurring laxatives are laxatives and will eventually stop working when a person gets older.
“Laxatives also tend to draw fluid into your bowels from your body in an unnatural way.
“Fiber draws fluid into the bowel in a natural way and keeps water in the gastrointestinal tract that needs to be there.”
The water is what prevents stools from becoming too hard to comfortably push out, requiring straining.
Dr. Binderow also explains, “Another solution to constipation is to drink lots of water and fluids, so combining that with a natural powder fiber supplement should help regulate your system.
“The fiber will cause a bit of gas when you first start taking it, but that will stop within the first month or so.”
Finally, to help prevent constipation, don’t be sedentary.
Get lots of movement throughout the day. Don’t sit excessively.
Dr. Binderow performs minimally invasive, robotic and laparoscopic surgery for Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, colon cancer and other colorectal conditions. Adept at routine procedures, he also sees patients with complex, atypical maladies.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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