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Pharmacy Care provides information about self-care, that is how to treat minor medical conditions with products available at the pharmacy. Find out how your pharmacist can help you to manage minor conditions yourself.
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Constipation is when your bowel motions take more effort than usual and your stools can be small and hard. Your bowel motions may be less frequent than usual, and you may have to strain to pass a bowel motion.
Not everyone has a bowel motion every day; some people have one every second or third day.
Symptoms of constipation can include:
headache
loss of appetite
build-up of wind or flatulence
bloating
stomach cramps
feeling generally unwell
irritability
diarrhoea, which may occasionally result from constipation, when liquid oozes out past hard stools
haemorrhoids (piles), which can also be a sign of constipation. Straining to pass stools can lead to haemorrhoids, which can cause pain and itchiness
Preventing constipation depends on some important factors. A diet high in fibre, including fruit, vegetables and grains, is a good way to stay ‘regular’. Exercising regularly is also an important way to help prevent constipation. Dehydration can contribute to constipation, so it is important that you drink enough water every day.
See Your Pharmacist or Medical Professional
if the person with constipation is a child or an elderly person
if you have constipation and vomiting
if you have lost weight
if your bowel motions change colour or contain blood
if you keep getting constipated, or it is getting worse
If you are over the age of 40 and have a sudden change in bowel movement with no obvious cause
if you have abdominal pain or bloating
if you are using laxatives and you feel they are not working
if your constipation alternates with diarrhoea
if you have a fever
if there is pain associated with a bowel movement
if you have been constipated for more than seven days
if you are pregnant or breastfeeding; some laxatives will not be suitable
if you have other medical conditions or begin taking new medicines
if you have allergies to any medicines
Treatment Tips
the best way to treat constipation is to treat the cause, such as dehydration, lack of fibre or lack of exercise
increase fibre gradually to avoid bloating and flatulence
if increasing fluid, fruit and vegetables and/or exercise does not work, short-term use of laxatives can treat the immediate problem
Treatment Options
laxatives are available as tablets, sachets, powders, granules, liquids, suppositories and enemas
always check the contents of laxatives and the dosage with your pharmacist
different laxatives work in different ways, which your pharmacist can explain
overuse of some laxatives may cause imbalances in your body salts, which can be dangerous
Bulk-forming laxatives
[GENERAL SALE]
e.g. Benefiber, Blackmores Colon Care, H Bio-Juven Vascurem 2, Metamucil (sugar-free available), Fybogel, Nucolox, Normacol Plus
bulk-forming laxatives can be a good first choice, as they work like fibre
they start working in 24 hours but may take two or three days to reach full effect
they are not absorbed by your body and do not interact with other medicines
drink plenty of water when taking laxatives
do not lie down immediately after taking bulk-forming laxatives
bulk-forming laxatives commonly cause flatulence and bloating
some preparations contain bulk-forming laxatives combined with stimulant laxatives, such as Normacol Plus
bulk-forming laxatives are not suitable when constipation is caused by something serious, such as a blockage in the bowel or if you are confined to bed
if you have diabetes, check which is an appropriate product, because most contain sugar
Faecal (stool) softeners
[GENERAL SALE]
e.g. docusate sodium (Coloxyl Tablets, Coloxyl with Senna, Sennesoft), poloxamer (Coloxyl Drops), liquid paraffin (Agarol, Parachoc)
stool softeners draw fluid into the stools and make them softer and easier to pass without straining
faecal softeners can help if you are straining to pass a stool, or if it is important for you not to strain
faecal softeners take effect in one to three days
some preparations contain faecal softeners and stimulant laxatives, such as Coloxyl with Senna
poloxamer (Coloxyl drops) is more appropriate for infants and children than liquid paraffin
liquid paraffin (Parachoc, Agarol) should not be given before lying down, such as at bedtime
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