2023-12-25 01:42:00
‘Winter constipation’ affects people of all ages… “You must not leave it unattended.”
[이투데이/송병기 기자]
Activity decreases in cold weather, and stress also interferes with digestive tract movement.
Indiscriminate use of laxatives actually causes chronic constipation.
There is a saying, ‘Only when you lose your health do you realize the value of it.’ It means that there is nothing more precious than living a happy and healthy life. We introduce useful health information that is helpful in daily life through ‘eToday Health~Sok’ in collaboration with domestic medical staff.
Constipation is one of the diseases that commonly occurs in modern people as activity decreases during the winter with chilly weather.
In general, constipation refers to a condition in which the number of bowel movements is less than once every 3 days, the stool is hard and a small amount of stool is passed, there is a feeling of residual stool following stool, or the need to exert excessive force during defecation. Medically, constipation is defined as cases where these symptoms persist for more than 3 months. Defecation is a very important factor in health, and if left untreated, it can bring great inconvenience to daily life, so it should not be overlooked as a mild symptom.
The number of people treated for constipation (inpatients and outpatients) in Korea has increased slightly over the past five years. According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service’s disease classification (level 4 illness) statistics on the 25th, the number of people treated for constipation increased from 656,263 in 2018 to 661,084 in 2019, but decreased to 636,431 in 2020 when COVID-19 occurred. Subsequently, 665,571 people received treatment for constipation in 2021 and 673,705 last year.
Park Gwang-beom, a professor of gastroenterology at Nowon Eulji University Hospital, said, “Constipation can sometimes be caused by disease, but in most cases, it is closely related to wrong lifestyle habits. “Not enough food, insufficient water intake, or the habit of frequently holding in defecation for various reasons even when there is a feeling of defecation,” he explained.
In particular, Professor Park said, “When outdoor activities are limited due to cold weather like these days, constipation that did not exist before often occurs,” adding, “This is because physical activity has decreased compared to usual, and bowel activity has not been as active. “Stress and changes in the environment that reduce activity are also factors that interfere with digestive tract movement,” he said.
Children often have functional constipation, while older people often have secondary constipation.
Constipation can happen to everyone, regardless of age and gender. In fact, it is such a common disease that regarding 5-20% of the entire population suffers from constipation. Among them, it commonly occurs in children under 9 years of age, elderly people over 70 years of age, and women. Unlike adults, functional constipation is common in children, and in the elderly, secondary constipation occurs due to underlying diseases, medications being taken, lack of fiber and water intake due to the amount of food consumed and decreased sense of thirst.
In cases of geriatric constipation, there is often no pain. Most people think of it as a simple symptom of aging or a digestive disorder and it is easy to ignore. However, if bowel movements are not performed properly, the risk of ileus increases. Professor Park Gwang-beom advised, “You should also avoid long-term abuse of stimulant constipation drugs or supplements sold on the market without a specialist’s prescription.”
If the intestinal mucosa is excessively stimulated, intestinal peristalsis may not occur properly and may become lethargic, causing chronic constipation. If the intestinal nerve layer is destroyed, intestinal function may be damaged, so if taking fiber ingredients does not work, you should see a specialist as soon as possible and receive treatment. Although rare, it can be caused by various diseases such as colon cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, hypothyroidism, nervous system disease, and muscle disease, so it is important to find the cause and treat it.
(Image Today)
You need to break the habit of taking your smartphone to the bathroom
To prevent constipation, it is best to develop the habit of defecating in the morning, when bowel movement is most active. You should also avoid the habit of going to the bathroom with your smartphone. Be careful if you sit on the toilet for more than 10 minutes as your intestines or anus may become insensitive to stimulation.
If you feel the urge to defecate, it is best to get into the habit of going to the bathroom within 30 minutes if possible, rather than holding it in. Additionally, for smooth bowel movements, you should walk for at least 30 minutes and eat plenty of meals regularly, preferably high in fiber, such as fruits, vegetables, and grains. Along with this, drink regarding 1.5 to 2 liters of water a day. However, even if the amount of water consumed is sufficient, if the diuretic effect is activated by coffee or salty foods, the water content in the body may decrease. Caffeine intake should be avoided.
Symptoms of constipation include: ▲ bowel movements less than twice a week in children over 4 years of age, ▲ encopresis (stool retention) at least once a week, ▲ symptoms of excessive holding in stool, ▲ feeling pain or difficulty while seeing hardened stool during defecation. ▲If a large amount of feces is stored in the rectum ▲If the feces are so thick that the toilet is clogged. Constipation is diagnosed if two or more of the symptoms described above appear at least once a week for one month.
Allow time for medication, diet control, and behavior control.
Constipation in children is also closely related to eating habits and lifestyle habits. Education, medication, dietary control, and behavior control should be provided to both guardians and children.
First, treatment involves removing feces accumulated in the rectum with medication or enema. Second, to change the habit of holding in stool, take a laxative that dilutes stool, that is, a drug used for the purpose of expelling intestinal contents. If regular bowel movements are maintained for at least 2 months, gradually reduce laxatives.
Even with constipation treatment, if medication compliance is poor or the guardian reduces or discontinues the medication at their discretion, the treatment effect is not good and there is a high possibility that constipation will recur even if the patient has a bowel movement. The treatment process requires at least several months because it includes restoring the function of the large intestine, which has lost its sense of defecation due to long-term retention of stool due to constipation.
Unlike adults, pediatric constipation medication is an osmotic laxative rather than a stimulant laxative, so there is no need to worry regarding side effects related to long-term use. Taking commercially available constipation medications arbitrarily only when symptoms are severe is likely to end up as a temporary fix and can further worsen constipation, so the degree of constipation should be accurately diagnosed through consultation with a specialist and appropriate treatment and education should be provided.
Lee Eun-hye, a professor of pediatrics at Nowon Eulji University Hospital, said, “Generally, constipation is thought to improve over time, so it is rare to visit the hospital until severe symptoms appear. However, if constipation is not properly treated, it progresses into chronic constipation and leads to nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, abdominal distension, and loss of appetite, which affects growing children,” she explained.
Professor Eunhye Lee continued, “Rarely, complications of constipation may include urinary tract infection, anal laceration, sentinel piles, rectal prolapse, and growth retardation. She advised, “In addition to drug treatment, healthy eating habits and improving lifestyle habits should be combined to stop the drug and prevent constipation from recurring.”
[이투데이/송병기 기자([email protected])]
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