Constipation in the elderly can be treated by dietary improvement, application of lactulose, polyethylene glycol and other drugs, surgery and other methods, there is no such thing as the best.
1. Dietary improvement: drink more hot water or honey water, eat more vegetables and fruits, which can help to promote gastrointestinal peristalsis, increase the water in feces, and make feces soft and easy to be discharged.
2. Application of drugs: Commonly used drugs for the treatment of constipation include pro-excretory drugs such as polyethylene glycol electrolyte dispersions, lactulose, etc., and gastrointestinal peristalsis drugs such as domperidone and mosapride.
3. Surgery: when the symptoms are serious and the non-surgical treatment is ineffective, subtotal colectomy or total colectomy can be used to remove part of the colon in order to make the patient’s bowel movement more smoothly.
Elderly constipation can also take enema, reasonable exercise, physical therapy and other methods, treatment drugs should be used under the guidance of a physician, not blindly self-medication.