What should I do if I have chronic constipation?

  Chronic constipation, as one of the most common digestive tract diseases, is plaguing the daily lives of more than 2% of the population, especially women. Its main manifestations are: difficult fecal discharge, dry stool, incomplete defecation, anal obstruction and even the need to use manipulation to help defecate. The incidence ratio of men to women is about 1:3, and the incidence increases with age.  The causes of chronic constipation are numerous and complex, mainly due to impaired transmission of the colon (dysmotility); dysfunction of the anal sphincter; emotional factors and side effects of medications, which can cause abnormalities in secretion, metabolism and the nervous system, and many diseases of the digestive tract may induce constipation.  Chronic constipation requiring special clinical management is divided into: chronic transport constipation; refers to constipation caused by colorectal transport dysfunction, this type accounts for about half of the constipation, imaging examination suggests that there is a whole gastrointestinal or colonic prolonged passage time, colonic hypokinesis.  Constipation caused by anorectal anatomical abnormalities leading to dysfunction of the internal and external rectal sphincter and defecation dynamics, accounting for about 1/4 to 1/3 of the cases. It is more common in women and the elderly.  Mixed constipation: i.e., a combination of the above two types or both atypical.  Clinical classification of chronic constipation diagnosis: Chronic transport constipation: common in young women, often accompanied by abdominal distension and discomfort, long-term reliance on laxatives for defecation.  Rectal protrusion type constipation: It is common in women, mainly due to the thin rectovaginal septum, which causes difficulty in defecation due to the protrusion of feces into the vagina under the pressure of feces, and requires pressure assistance in the perianal and vaginal areas during defecation, and even the use of fingers to reach into the rectum to snap out the feces.  Intrarectal sleeve type constipation: due to loose rectal mucosa, prolapse, formation of sleeve during defecation, blocking the anus and causing difficulty in defecation, the more forceful the blockage.  Puborectal muscle syndrome constipation: constipation caused by spastic hypertrophy of the puborectal muscle leading to outlet obstruction.  Box bottom spasm syndrome type constipation: uncoordinated relaxation of the puborectal muscle and external anal sphincter during defecation, or even contraction to obstruct the outlet, resulting in difficulty in defecation.  The correct treatment of chronic constipation: First of all, the treatment of any kind of disease requires a good state of mind, constipation as the most common digestive tract diseases, in China there are about 70 to 90 million people suffering from the disease, of which men account for a quarter, women account for three-quarters, less than a quarter of the consultation. Do not be misled by certain advertising words that intentionally promote anxiety to induce unreasonable medical consumption, such as “constipation causes dark circles under the eyes, fat belly, dry and black skin…” and fall into blind anxiety, depression, and even fear, which seriously affects the correct treatment of constipation.  The correct treatment of constipation should start with cultivating a healthy lifestyle: relaxing the mind, eliminating anxiety, reducing various invisible pressures in work life, study and social life, which are factors that can lead to the dysfunction of one’s internal system, metabolic system and nervous system, and the main contributing and etiological factors of constipation in a considerable part of the workplace are psychological factors, characterized by: checking what pathological factors are not present, but constipation is always cured. There is no pathological factors, but constipation is not cured, or sometimes good and sometimes bad. For this group of patients, psychological intervention is an indispensable form of treatment.  Good habits in daily life: adequate sleep, no late nights, clean and light regular diet, more fiber foods (vegetables and fruits), appropriate amount of coarse grains and honey, regular bowel movements (morning and evening), appropriate sports to promote the gastrointestinal tract peristaltic function, and targeted functional restorative training for women who may have damage to the pelvic floor muscles of the pelvic wall during the birth process.  Conservative treatment: conservative treatment on the basis of keeping the mind and developing good habits is the most important way of constipation treatment, and is also a generally effective way. This includes the correct use of open plugs and suppositories, moderate and correct enemas when necessary, and the correct choice of targeted laxatives.  The correct choice of laxatives: Before using laxatives, we must start with improving psychosocial factors and developing good habits, not trying to “diarrhea for fast”, as opposed to “diarrhea for fast” we are more important to restore their normal physiological bowel function. At present, the laxatives commonly used in clinical practice are: volumetric laxatives: also known as laxative salts, because they are dissolved in water but not absorbed by the intestine, so they can absorb a large amount of water in the intestine, increasing the volume of stool and inducing diarrhea, the representative drug is magnesium flow acid, which does not strengthen the peristaltic function of the colon and is not suitable for patients with sluggish intestinal motility.  Stimulating laxatives: this kind of drugs fast, strong, it stimulates the intestinal wall, can make intestinal peristalsis enhanced and accelerated. Mainly: fruit guide, rhubarb, senna, etc., but these drugs stimulate the intestinal mucosa and intestinal wall plexus, may cause colorectal muscle weakness, the formation of drug dependence, long-term use will also cause intestinal mucosa black lesions. Mainly adapted to the stool blockage need to quickly laxative, should not be used for a long time.  Lubricating laxatives: also known as stool softeners, it lubricates the intestinal wall, softening the stool so that the stool can be easily discharged. The representative is liquid paraffin, the disadvantage is: poor taste, the effect is not strong. Can be used selectively.  Osmotic laxative: It is not absorbed and works in the colon by releasing organic acids through the breakdown of the fine integument. It is suitable for geriatric patients, children and post-operative constipation patients, but used with caution in diabetic patients.  Intestinal motility drugs: it works by strengthening the peristaltic function of the large intestine tension, representative drugs are polyethylene glycol, adapted to those who have used osmotic laxatives ineffective, not adapted to patients with inflammatory organic intestinal lesions Chinese patent medicines: hempren soft capsule hempren pill rhubarb soda tablets, etc.  Be sure to use the above-mentioned types of laxatives correctly under the guidance of a physician, and not for long-term dependent use.  Surgery: Surgery should be considered only when conservative treatment is ineffective and the examination suggests the presence of obvious intestinal and muscular pathological defects. Surgical treatment should be carefully chosen.  Colectomy: mainly indicated for chronic transmission constipation of the colon.  Anterior rectal prolapse: indicated for weak rectovaginal septum.  DeLorme surgical PPH: for patients with endorectal loop.  Rectal fixation: indicated for those with rectal prolapse.  Partial excision of the puborectalis muscle: adapted to patients with puborectalis muscle syndrome.  Chronic constipation has complex etiology, it is necessary to clarify the existence of pathological causes on the basis of full communication with the physician, for different etiology to take different surgical methods, to ensure the principle of surgical results under the strong targeted selection.