When constipation occurs, can I turn to medication? Especially for special groups of people such as the elderly, children and pregnant women, what is the most reasonable way to use medication? The elderly: use laxatives with caution To treat constipation, the elderly should first try to stop using the drugs that cause constipation and adjust their lifestyles and dietary habits. For fecal impaction, the first step should be to remove the embedded feces by clean enema or rectal administration of liquid paraffin. Oral volumetric laxatives may be preferred for patients with inadequate dietary fiber intake and the ability to drink adequate amounts of water. If symptoms persist, a switch to polyethylene glycol and lactulose may be considered. If symptoms do not resolve, a combination of laxative and enema or probiotic may be considered. In severe cases, stimulant laxatives may also be used in moderation for a short period of time to relieve symptoms. Pregnant women: volumetric laxatives are the safest Constipation is common in pregnant women, some appear during pregnancy and some are aggravated during pregnancy. Medication for constipation in pregnant women can be a tricky issue because safety is so important. Volumetric laxatives are the safest laxatives for pregnant women. However, they have a slow onset of action, are not suitable for acute symptom relief, and are contraindicated in patients with fecal impaction. Lactulose and polyethylene glycol in osmotic laxatives are generally considered safe. The American Gastroenterological Association recommends polyethylene glycol as the drug of choice for the treatment of constipation in pregnant women. Children: Habit training is required Treatment of constipation in children should first emphasize basic treatment, including family education, bowel habit training, proper diet, adequate water intake, increased activity, and psycho-behavioral therapy. Defecation habit training should be carried out in children over 3 years old, and children should be encouraged to go to the toilet for 5-10 minutes after meals. For those with fecal impaction, open cork, or warm saline enema can be used. Laxatives can be given after removing the embedded stool. According to the cause of the disease, you can choose some suitable doses of Chinese medicine (such as Si Mo Tang oral liquid), commonly used drugs also include probiotic preparations, lactobacillus and bifidobacteria can increase the number of stools and soften the stool. Special Note: Laxatives are best taken at bedtime. Generally laxatives start to work after 6-8 hours of oral intake, so they should be taken at bedtime and defecated the next morning or after breakfast. Patients with abdominal pain should not apply laxatives when the diagnosis is unknown. If the purpose of laxatives is to remove toxins from the intestines, it is not advisable to use oil-based laxatives such as castor oil, because oil-based laxatives not only do not eliminate fat-soluble toxins, but also increase the absorption of toxins by the body.