How to Find Relief - Constipation in the Elderly

While constipation is a problem for people of all ages, it has a much higher incidence among the elderly, and it is hard to find relief. Constipation rates in seniors (over 65 years of age) are around 30%. In order to understand the best way to get constipation help if you fall into this age category, you must look at the possible causes of constipation and eliminate them one by one.

But first, do you really need constipation relief? While many think that having a bowel movement each day is necessary to be “regular”, this is not the case. You probably want to consider yourself constipated if you have fewer than two bowel movements a week or if you often (more than 30% of the time) must strain to have a bowel movement or feel like you didn’t completely empty yourself when using the bathroom. Of course, if you are feeling uncomfortable with your stool frequency, it never hurts to look into options for constipation help.

Once you have established that you are constipated, it’s time to look at the prime suspects in your life. Here are some key ones:

Medicine:

People tend to take more medications as they get older and many of them have side effects including constipation. Many mainstream painkillers, antacids, antidepressants, & blood pressure drugs have constipation side effects. If you are on these types of drugs, look up (or ask your doctor) their side effects.

Food & Water Intake:

As people get older, they tend to lose their sour/bitter taste before their sweet tooth. So many people tend to eat more sweets as they age, which means more carbohydrates and less fiber as well as less of the enzymes needed to help break down food (crucial for avoiding constipation).

Even more important than food, however, is the fact that seniors often do not drink as much water as they need. High fluid intake is crucial to your body’s ability to remove waste because it brings water into your stool and allows for easier elimination. Water also plays a major role in the body's ability to produce digestive juices, a deficiency of which can prevent constipation relief.

Health Disorders that affect the digestive tract:

There are a variety of health issues that can cause you to be constipated. If you are concerned you may have a health disorder or already know you do, then you need to see your doctor to get treatment so that the underlying causes of constipation can be treated. For instance, if you have an endocrine disorder, first your metabolism will need to be stabilized before you can successfully relieve constipation. Other things to pay attention to are the presence of tumors, hemorrhoids, and diseases of the nervous system (like Parkinson’s).

Sedentary lifestyle:

Numerous studies show that less active people are more likely to be have chronic constipation. Try to incorporate small activities (walking, gardening) into your everyday life while also considering an exercise routine if you don’t have one (swimming, aerobics, yoga, etc…).

After reviewing this list, you might find that you fit into several of the categories. To maximize the process of elimination and to help with successful identification of the main problem, you must address all that you fit into. If you are uncertain about the “Health Disorder” & “Medicine” categories, it is important to get an examination from your doctor to rule out these causes or to address them as needed.

If you need constipation help, a natural solution is StayRegular – a natural laxative that can be used for occasional constipation treatment and prevention. It uses gentle, non-stimulant ingredients to provide constipation help in a “quad-action” formula that relieves constipation in four ways. It provides fiber for bulk, draws water into your system to hydrate the colon, rebalances your colonic bacteria, and provides the nutrients needed for healthy muscle contraction.

Constipation in the elderly is a complex issue because there can be so many factors involved. But by working closely with your doctor and with the right supplements like StayRegular, constipation relief won’t be far away!