Constipation

Constipation is a condition familiarly to all young sold. There is no every child or adult, who has never experienced this condition. Though the reviarity may other.

Constipation usually is attributed to faulty food habits & improper off style. Though a number of medical conditions are known to cause constipation the must common cause are lers constipation of fiber & fluid.

Causes

Constipation causes one or more of the following.

Faulty eating habits over the years may have weakned himself away from natural foods. Fruits, vegetables, cereals & puber are processes to produce a number of ready to eat food products deuoid of their fiber contents.

Fiber is that part & the plant food which lars almost no nutritive value &is not digested, has absorbed but remains in the intestines to give bulk to the food & help the bowels work smoothly.

One more common cause is the vitiation of the Doshas specially the vat Dosha. It is the function of the Apan vayu to bring the seaces & food down wards towards the rectorn & ultimately eliminate it.

if vata is vitiated, it will not carry out its function imperly carry constipation or 'Vibandha' as it is called n Ayurveda. Bedsides, vata causes the stool to become hard & dry thus further making it difficult. To pass the stool.

Intake of strong tea or coffee may also lead to constipation or aggravate the existing condition. This is partly because of their diuretic property, which increase the amount of fluid in the urine & less it in the intestines.

SOME DISORDERS ALSO TEND TO CAUSE CONSTIPATION

• Ano rectal disorders responsible for causing constipation.
  
  1. Anal fissure,
  2. Anal stenosis.
  3. Anterior muscle prolepses.
  4. Hemorrhoids,
  5. Rectocele.
  6. Tumors.
  7. Perianal abscess.
  8. Amoebiasis, Chron's Diseases

• Colon disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticular disease, tumour obstructing the lumen, carcinoma, tuberculosis.

• Diabetes mellitus. hypothyroidism & hypopituterism, may also cause constipation.

• Pregnancy & puerperium due to hormonal changes, & ovarian and uterine tumours & endometriosis.

• Disease like Hirsch prong's disease, cerebro vascular accidents, cerebral tumours, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis tabes dorsalisd, progressive

• Systemic sclerosis.

• Psychiatric disorder like depression due to today's high stress levels and denied bowel action due to over hectic life styles or embarrassment also induce constipation.

• A number of drugs used in various diseases also cause constipation. Anaesthetic, analgesics, antacids, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, antihypertensives, drugs used in the treatment of Parkinson's diuretics, irons, oral contraceptives and psychotherapy drugs and anti cancer drugs are all know to cause constipation.

• Regular use of stimulant laxatives like senna which are often taken by patients for prolonged periods gradually make the guts less active & dependant on the drugs & the condition keeps on worsening & more and more laxatives are needed.

• There are causes where no apparent reasons are found. Even the food habits life style are healthy but still the condition of constipation persists.

INVESTIGATIONS REQUIRED.

Usually no investigations are required. If the symptoms suddenly aggravate or if they are severe & persistent or if there are complications like passing mucous or blood with stool, pain, burning intermittent attacks of diarrhea, weight loss etc. the patient should take experts advise & may be for one or more following investigations.

• Per rectum digital examination
• Procotscopy
• Sigmoidiscopy
• Routine investigations of blood urine and stool.
• Berium enema etc.

TREATMENT

Eating more of fiber definitely helps. Vegetables, cereals, beans, fruits etc.

While consuming fruits are to be eaten & not drunk. Eating fruits are is for better them taking fruit twice it is also advisable to take lots of water, Luke warm water is better than cold water.

Consuming 2 glasses of buttermilk per day will also be very beneficial.

While increasing fluid intake it is necessary to cut down on tea and coffee.

During the urge of passing the stool, suppressing the feeling for any reasons like work urgency, embarrassment or even laziness often causes the stool to become hard & more bulks making it more difficulty to pass it.

Regular excursive is a good way to keep the bowels active. Many asana help in reliving oneself from constipation. Vajrasana often meats & other asanas like pavanmuktasana (at least after 4 hours of the meals) are very helpful.

Eating regular intervals and refraining from eating before the previous meal is digested also helps to get rid of this condition.

TREATMENT FOR CONSTIPATION

Ayurveda has described 600 different combinations as laxatives for use in different condition depending upon the prakriti of the patient, the doshas involvement (vitiation) the severity etc.

In more seccccc conditions & where constipation is associated with anal stricture some surgical, Para surgical procedures are sometimes advised.

In several cases with predominance of vata dosha matra basti (administrating herbal decoction, medicated oils and ghees in small quantity through anus) is also advised.

We also have different combinations, which are given depending upon the prakriti of the patient & the dominance of doshas causing constipation.

CONSTIPATION IS VERY COMMON IN CHILDREN.

The consumption of fast foods, white breads leading to lesser Intake of fibers leads to constipation in children. Holding stools also a common practice in children. Passing 3 to 5 stools per day or passing stool once in 3 days may be considered normal if they have no difficulty in day. So if the stool is soft smooth and well formed. However straining [painful passing of the stool passing dry and too large stool with difficulty needs interventions.

Chronic constipation in children leads to loss of appetite and in severe cases the child becomes ire tent and les active.

• Chronic constipation in children may cause the rectum to enlarge hence large amount of stool gets impacted n the rectum. The impulse of eedy to use the toilet is reduced and the rectum 's strength to eliminate the stool is also advised. Sometimes more recently soft and watery stool leads out from the sides of the hard impacted feaces. This condition needs longer care with either mild laxatives or medicated oil anemas of suppositories.
• It is very difficult to enlarge the food habits grow up, let alone children. Encouraging more intake of fibers fluids and create awareness in the basic remedy.