Constipation refers to a reduction in the number of bowel movements, as well as difficulty in bowel movements and dry stools.
Normal people have 1 or 2 bowel movements per day. Constipation patients have less than 3 bowel movements per week, and the bowel movements are laborious, and the fecal induration is small.
Constipation is a common symptom in the elderly. About one-third of the elderly has constipation, which is not only affects the quality of life, but also affect the health.
Constipation reasons:
1. Related to age
The prevalence of constipation in the elderly is significantly higher than that in young adults, mainly due to the significant decrease in the food intake and physical activity of the elderly, the decrease in the secretion of digestive juice in the gastrointestinal tract, the weakening of the intestinal tube tension and peristalsis, and the abdominal cavity and pelvic floor. Muscle weakness, weakening of the internal and external sphincter of the anus, weakening of the stomach and colon, weakening of the rectum, causing the food to stay in the intestine for too long, excessive absorption of water causes constipation. In addition, elderly people often lose bowel reflexes due to senile dementia or depression, causing constipation.
2. Bad living habits
(1) Dietary factors
The elderly teeth fall off, like to eat low-sludge fine food, or a small number of patients map convenient, easy to eat, lack of crude fiber, so that the volume of feces is reduced, viscosity increases, slow movement in the intestine, water Excessive absorption leads to constipation. In addition, because the elderly have less food, the food contains a low calorie, and the gastrointestinal transit time is slowed down, which can also cause constipation.
(2) Defecation habits
Some people do not develop the habit of regular bowel movements, often overlooking the normal intentions, resulting in inhibition of bowel movements and constipation.
(3) Reduced activity
Due to certain diseases and obesity factors, the elderly have reduced their activities, especially those who are in bed or in wheelchairs. Because of the lack of exercise stimulation to promote the movement of feces, they are often prone to constipation.
3. Mental and psychological factors
People with mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder are prone to constipation.
4. Intestinal lesions
Intestinal lesions include inflammatory bowel disease, tumor, hernia, rectal prolapse, etc., such lesions lead to functional outlet obstruction causing defecation.
5. Systemic disease
Systemic diseases include diabetes, uremia, cerebrovascular accidents, and Parkinson's disease.
6. iatrogenic (abuse of laxatives)
Due to the long-term use of laxatives, especially irritating laxatives, damage to the intestinal mucosal nerves, reducing intestinal muscle tension, but leading to severe constipation. In addition, other drugs that cause constipation are, for example, opioid analgesics, anticholinergics, antidepressants, calcium antagonists, diuretics, and the like.
The main manifestations of constipation are reduced bowel movements and difficulty in defecation. Many patients have fewer than 3 bowel movements per week, and severe cases last 1 week or more before defecation. Some patients can be prominently expressed as difficulty in defecation, defecation time can be more than 30 minutes.
Excessive forced bowel movements in the elderly can lead to changes in coronary and cerebral blood flow. Due to the decrease in cerebral blood flow, fainting can occur during defecation. Coronary artery insufficiency may occur with angina pectoris and myocardial infarction. Hypertension can cause cerebrovascular accidents, and can also cause rupture of aneurysms or ventricular aneurysms, thrombus detachment of the heart, arrhythmia, and even sudden death. Due to the low muscle tone of the colon, megacolon can occur. When forced defecation, elevated intra-abdominal pressure can cause or aggravate hemorrhoids, and damage the anal canal during forced bowel movement, which can cause other anal diseases such as anal fissure. Intestinal obstruction, fecal ulcers, urinary retention and fecal incontinence can occur after fecal impaction.
Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatments:
For Chinese medicine treatment of constipation, acupuncture or medicine can be used for treatment. The effect is very obvious. After acupuncture a few specific acupuncture points, you can help the patient to defecate. Of course, with the Chinese medicine, and then stubborn constipation, you can also defecate smoothly. In addition, through the conditioning of the gastrointestinal, the patient's constipation problem is fundamentally solved.
At the same time, patients have to adjust some of their bad habits in life. Establish good living habits from the following aspects:
1. Stick to the exercise
A survey of people over the age of 60 shows that the incidence of constipation is very high in the elderly, and the incidence of constipation is 15.4%, and the incidence of constipation is 0.21%. Therefore, patients are encouraged to participate in sports such as walking. Walk or massage your abdominal muscles several times a day to enhance gastrointestinal motility. For long-term bedridden patients should be turned over and a ring massage abdomen or hot compress.
2. Develop good bowel habits
Conduct health education to help patients establish normal bowel movements. You can practice bowel movement once every morning, even if you have no intention, you can wait a moment to form a conditioned reflex. At the same time, it is necessary to create a quiet and comfortable environment and choose a toilet seat.
3. Reasonable diet
Older people should eat more foods containing crude fiber, vegetables, melons, and beans, drink plenty of water, drink at least 1500ml per day, especially if they drink a cup of warm water every morning or before meals, which can effectively prevent constipation. In addition, you should eat some foods that have a laxative effect, such as black sesame seeds, honey, bananas, etc.
4. other
Prevent or avoid the use of drugs that cause constipation, do not abuse laxatives, actively treat systemic and perianal diseases, adjust mental state, and good mental state helps to establish normal bowel reflexes.