What to do if a laxative does not work?
If stool softeners aren’t providing enough help, the osmotic laxative polyethylene glycol (MiraLAX or a generic version) is good next step. These products hold water in stool to soften it and increase bowel movements.
Should I be concerned if laxatives don’t work?
Stay in touch with your doctor while following your constipation treatment. You may need to switch treatments if one isn’t working. It’s possible to become dependent on laxatives and need them to have a bowel movement. In that case, your doctor may have to wean you off laxatives to get your system back to normal.
What are the causes of atonic constipation?
Atonic constipation occurs as a result of slowed work of the intestines caused by, among other things, long-term use of laxatives, which means increased absorption of water from the stool in the large intestine. As a result, the stool becomes harder and increasingly difficult to pass.
What causes bowel muscles to stop working?
Neurogenic bowel is the loss of normal bowel function. It’s caused by a nerve problem. A spinal cord injury or a nerve disease may damage the nerves that help control the lower part of your colon. This is the part of the body that sends solid waste out of the body.
Why do laxatives cause an atonic colon?
Laxatives work by stimulating the bowel muscles with irritants. However, when they are used repeatedly, the muscles build up a tolerance and larger quantities of the irritants are needed to get the same effect. This causes low muscle tone, which results in an atonic colon.
Can constipation cause atonic colon?
Atonic colon is essentially a “vicious circle” phenomena. Constipation can lead to reduced bowel activity, which in turn can lead to a worsening of constipation, and so on. While the cause of atonic colon is often unknown, chronic laxative use can be to blame.
What should you do If laxatives don’t work?
If laxatives don’t work, ask for help. “You should see your doctor and discuss it if you are constantly needing to take laxatives,” Dr. Wolf says. “People shouldn’t have to take laxatives every day.” Bulk-forming laxatives draw water into stool, making it softer and easier to pass.
What is the best treatment for atonic constipation?
But all the same, the first thing that determines the treatment of atonic constipation is the correction of nutrition and the introduction of a supportive diet, which is based on the patient accepting a sufficient amount of plant foods with coarse fiber, which contributes to the “launching of the bowels”.