Long-term chronic constipation can cause people’s physical and mental health to be greatly endangered, and constipation can bring many health hazards to the elderly due to the gradual decline of organism organ functions. What are the main health hazards of constipation for the elderly? How to prevent constipation in the face of the elderly? Today to tell you a little about this problem.
1, cause systemic diseases
Induced neuropsychiatric disorders: elderly people suffering from constipation often have mental tension, anxiety, insomnia and forgetfulness, dizziness and nausea and other neuropsychiatric symptoms, some even appear mental depression, in turn, these symptoms will also make constipation and accompanying symptoms aggravated. Increased risk factors for cardiovascular disease: research has confirmed that forceful defecation can cause a sudden rise in blood pressure of 30-50 mm Hg, this sudden rise in blood pressure will make the original hypertensive disease of the elderly cardiovascular load increased sharply, inducing angina, myocardial infarction, cerebral hemorrhage, sudden death rate of stroke significantly higher.
2, aggravate rectal and anal diseases
The elderly gastrointestinal function is weakened, the frequency of defecation decreases, fecal memory in the rectum for a longer period of time easily caused by constipation, and the stimulation of dry and hard fecal masses to local edema, blood transport disorders, and can cause or aggravate rectal and anal diseases (proctitis, anal fissure, hemorrhoids, ulcers, etc.) and form a vicious circle. There will also be a great impact on the local surgical effect.
3, causing gastrointestinal nerve disorders
Constipation, fecal retention, absorption of harmful substances can cause gastrointestinal nerve dysfunction in the elderly and lead to loss of appetite, abdominal distension, belching, mouth bitterness, anal exhaust and other performance.
4, cause abnormal diarrhea
Constipation in the elderly is often due to fecal block embedded in the rectal cavity is difficult to discharge, but a small amount of watery fecal matter can bypass the fecal block from the anus during defecation, as the so-called Chinese medicine said “heat knot side flow” This situation is sometimes mistaken for diarrhea. Thus, the root cause of this abnormal diarrhea is constipation is overlooked. At this time, if the wrong use of antidiarrheal agents, but will aggravate the constipation.
5, causing multiple abdominal pain
The elderly due to long-term constipation to defecation conditioned reflex is low, sphincter muscle relaxation, constipation is aggravated by reduced stool, a large number of hard fecal masses lead to incomplete intestinal obstruction, stimulate the proximal intestinal wall muscle strong contraction, causing paroxysmal abdominal pain. The abdominal pain can be relieved by intermittent muscle relaxation of the intestinal wall. Therefore, abdominal pain can be recurrent. The manifestations are: abdominal pain is irregular, recurrent and sudden, with paroxysmal attacks lasting for several minutes to tens of minutes. The pain site is not fixed, commonly around the umbilicus (below the umbilicus) and the whole abdomen, can be light or heavy, no abnormal performance between attacks.
6.Cause fecal ulcer
Harder fecal masses compress the intestinal cavity and the surrounding pelvic structures, impede the expansion of the colon, so that the rectum or colon pressure and the formation of fecal ulcers, serious cases can cause intestinal perforation. Is one of the serious complications of constipation.
7, prone to rectal cancer
Swedish medical experts found that people suffering from habitual constipation, especially middle-aged and elderly patients with habitual constipation, are most likely to develop rectal cancer. So far, the study concluded that due to the slowing down of gastrointestinal motility and weakened digestion, dry stool can stay in the intestine for a longer period of time, thus increasing the stimulation of carcinogens in the stool to the intestinal mucosa, which is the main cause of rectal cancer.
8.Likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease
Research by professors at Sydney Medical University in Australia found that bacteria in the human intestine can break down undigested proteins into toxic substances such as ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, histamine, mercaptans and indoles. When these toxic substances exceed the detoxification capacity of the liver, they enter the brain with the blood circulation and damage the central nervous system, causing disorders in the normal function of the brain nerves, intellectual decline and memory loss. Especially the elderly, due to the relative reduction in the amount of food, digestive capacity, coupled with reduced activity, easy to constipation and lead to Alzheimer’s disease.
9, cause pelvic floor disease attack
Chronic constipation not only causes long-term rectal involvement, but also affects the function of the bladder prostate and pelvic floor muscles and other pelvic organs. If the pelvic floor muscle is often in a state of relaxation or abnormal tension, will cause pelvic organs displacement or even prolapse, the result will not only make constipation aggravated, but also cause various organ dysfunction and prolapse, common perineal descent, rectal protrusion, uterine or bladder prolapse, a variety of pelvic floor hernia, some will also cause urinary and fecal incontinence. For elderly people with chronic constipation, first of all, the causes of constipation should be identified and then prevented and treated according to the following principles.
Adjust the diet structure
Eat more vegetables and fruits rich in fiber. For the elderly who are missing teeth and have difficulty chewing, they can cut and chop vegetables finely, eat some cereals, bran and other coarse grains appropriately, eat less spicy and fried food, and quit smoking and drinking.
Will drink water
Drink a glass of warm or cold water (300-500 ml) every morning to stimulate intestinal peristalsis and help defecation, or use jujube soup or honey to mix water to laxative.
Life should be regular
Develop a good habit of regular bowel movements every day, regardless of whether there is a bowel movement, should go to the toilet on time, and over time will become a habit.
Adhere to appropriate physical exercise
Physical exercise can promote gastrointestinal peristalsis, increased secretion, which helps to keep the bowel movement smooth. Another early morning fasting, with the umbilicus as the center, clockwise, counterclockwise massage 100 times each, has the effect of preventing constipation.