Constipation in elderly people is a common health condition. According to the National Institute on Aging, 1 in 3 senior adults has had an episode of constipation.
Constipation can cause discomfort, pain, and difficulty in performing daily activities. This can make you anxious, frustrated, or withdraw from social environments.
As with any other health problem, the earlier it is caught the better it is, so let’s have a look at what is constipation, where is constipation pain felt, and how to fix constipation.
What is constipation?
Constipation is when you have a hard time going Number 2.
How your body expels waste
– Digestive acids in the stomach break food into tiny particles.
– Nutrients are extracted and waste materials, like fiber, are sent to the large intestine.
– The intestine contracts and relaxes to push waste towards the rectum.
– Waste sits in the rectum until expelled from the anus in the form of stool.
Symptoms of constipation
- You haven’t emptied your bowels in 2 days.
- You’ve had fewer than 3 bowel movements in a week.
- You strain on the toilet, as if you’re forcing the waste out.
- Abdominal cramping, bloating, discomfort, or a feeling of heaviness in the stomach.
- Feeling dissatisfied after a bathroom visit because you don’t feel completely ‘empty’.
- Lumpy, dry, or hard stools that are painful to pass.
- Needing to pee frequently, but feeling like your bladder isn’t emptying completely.
- Manual evacuation needed to dislodge stool trapped in the anal passage.
- Headaches and/or nausea. anxiety, irritability, depression.
Constipation in elderly
In senior adults, constipation may be caused by a number of factors.
- Age
The colon contracts and relaxes — kind of how a caterpillar moves along a leaf — to propel waste through the digestive system. With age, this movement slows down, so stool may remain in the colon for longer, becoming harder, drier, and more compacted.
- Lifestyle
A sedentary lifestyle where you aren’t very physically active can lead to muscles in the abdomen growing weak. These muscles have a big role to play in helping the digestive organs, especially the colon, move waste along and out of the body.
- Environment
Dry weather, arid climates, and low humidity also contribute to constipation.
Most of us think we lose moisture only if we visibly sweat. But water evaporates from our bodies all the time, even when we’re just sitting around doing nothing.
Hot, dry weather, as in some parts of Arizona and Texas, can be very dehydrating. So can air conditioning. But while a warm breeze may leave you craving a refreshing drink, in a pleasantly cool, air conditioned room, you might not even realize you’re thirsty.
- Illness, disease, chronic conditions
Certain chronic conditions, such as diabetes and Parkinson’s disease, are understood to cause constipation because these illnesses damage the nerves that control the function of the digestive system and associated organs.
Metabolism slowed down by an underactive thyroid gland may also lead to constipation because it slows down the digestive process. As a result, waste sits in the colon for longer, becoming hard, dry, and difficult to expel.
- Medications and polypharmacy
Constipation is a side effect of many drugs, whether they be prescription or over-the-counter. The active ingredients in many medications can:
- Interfere with nerves that control bowel movements
- Affect the function of the digestive tract
- Alter how your body absorbs water
Polypharmacy means taking 5 or more different drugs on a regular basis. Among older adults, this is quite common. It also raises their chances of having more frequent episodes of constipation.
Where is constipation pain felt
Constipation pain is typically felt in the lower abdomen, where the large intestine is located. The pain can range from a mild discomfort to intense pressure and cramping.
Some people may also feel soreness in and around the anus, as straining to push hard, lumpy stools out may cause microtears in the skin.
What to do for constipation
The first steps are drinking lots of water and eating lots of fiber.
| Why water is important Drinking water keeps waste soft. Soft waste moves much more easily through the colon and comes out without stressing the rectum or tearing the anal opening. In temperate weather, 4-6 glasses (48–64 oz) of water daily may provide adequate hydration. In warmer, drier climates like parts of Arizona and Texas, you may need to drink more. Some people might forget to drink water, so use reminders, alarms, and schedules to prevent dehydration. You can also ‘eat’ some of your water quota by consuming soups and water-rich fruit and vegetables like watermelon, cantaloupe, oranges, pineapple, apples, and all kinds of berries. Cucumbers, lettuce, celery, green bell peppers, and asparagus are also great choices. | Why fiber is important Eating water-rich fruits and vegetables means you’re also consuming their fiber content. Fiber or roughage is the material that builds the structure of fruits and vegetables, and holds their flavor, nutrients, and liquid. Fiber is not digested by your body. As it is highly absorbent, it helps keep waste in the colon soft. Good sources of dietary fiber are:
|
Experts recommend eating 25-30 grams of fiber every day. Here’s a handy chart to help you add high-fiber foods in your daily meals.
Learn more: Why is the Mediterranean Diet voted best in the world
Other ways to relieve constipation
- Exercise
Walking daily, even for just 15-20 minutes, promotes digestion. Gentle exercises like chair yoga, leg lifts, or light stretches can be done indoors to avoid midday heat.
Click here to find the right doctors for exercise guidance in Arizona and Texas
- Train your bowels
Some people are able to train their bodies to have regular bowel movements by establishing a routine.
Try to go to the bathroom at the same time daily, ideally after a meal. Breathe deeply, relax, and don’t strain or push. Let things happen on their own. If nothing happens, try again the next day.
Avoid taking reading material or a phone into the bathroom with you, as you may end up spending too much time on the toilet. Experts advise that a habit of sitting on the toilet for more than 10 minutes per visit may potentially lead to health issues like hemorrhoids and weakened pelvic muscles.
- Use a footstool when on the toilet
Research shows that raising your feet on a footstool repositions your body into a more natural squatting posture. Bringing knees close to your chest and leaning forward at a slight angle straightens the rectum, making it easier for waste to slip down and out.
People who use a footstool in the bathroom report straining less or not at all, eliminating waste faster, and feeling as if their bowels were completely emptied.
- Take a laxative
There are many different kinds of laxatives. Some are available over-the-counter, others need a prescription. Some are taken by mouth, others are suppositories to be inserted into the rectum.
Types of laxatives
| Bulk-formers, like psyllium husk or methylcellulose, are insoluble fiber in concentrated form. They may take a while to work, but are considered the gentlest kind of laxative. Drink lots of liquids to ensure the fiber gets as waterlogged as possible. | Osmotics pull water into the intestine from other parts of the body. This softens stool and encourages peristalsis (muscle contractions that move stool through the intestines). Osmotics include magnesium citrate, magnesium hydroxide, and sorbitol. |
| Stimulants, like preparations made from the senna plant, irritate the lining of the bowels or intestines. | Lubricants coat the intestine and stool with a slippery film. Mineral oil, olive oil, and flaxseed oil are often taken as laxatives. |
Have an enema
Enemas are usually used as a last resort to relieve constipation. An enema involves inserting a tube into the anus and gently squirting a liquid (water, saline solution, or medicated solution) to dislodge stool that may be blocking the rectum.
The pressure of the liquid, and/or the effect of medicated ingredients, stimulates the colon, encouraging it to push waste down and out.
When to see a doctor for constipation
An occasional bout of constipation happens to everyone, but let your doctor know if you’ve had symptoms of constipation for over 2-4 weeks.
Help your doctor help you better by keeping track of your bathroom visits. Start noting down:
- The date of every bowel movement.
- The stool’s category on the Bristol Stool Chart.
- If you felt the need to strain.
- If you felt like you hadn’t emptied your bowels completely.
- Whether it was painful to pass stool.
- If there was blood on the toilet paper after wiping.
Sharing this information with your doctor will enable them to prescribe an appropriate diet and exercise plan, as well as the correct kind of laxative.
Also bring a list of all the medications and supplements you take. This may help your doctor narrow down the reasons for your constipation, and they may decide to prescribe alternative medications.
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Frequently Asked Questions about constipation
- Are there any foods to help with constipation?
High-fiber foods help bulk up and soften waste, making it easier to pass. Dried fruits such as prunes, raisins, apricots, and figs are well known home remedies for relieving constipation. Papaya, yogurt, and aloe vera juice are also effective.
Can I take castor oil for constipation?
Castor oil, extracted from the castor bean plant, is found in many foods, medications, and skincare products. It is a stimulant that encourages the colon to push waste out. It can also cause nausea, so start with a low dose of 1-2 tablespoons stirred into a glass of fruit juice or warm milk.
If the taste of castor oil is too strong for you, try a tablespoon of olive oil.
- What are foods that cause constipation?
Refined flour, used to make white bread and baked goods, has all or most of the husk, bran, and germ removed; these are the parts of grain that contain the most fiber. Alcohol, white rice, and eggs, as well as processed, high-fat, deep-fried, high-salt, and fast food may also worsen constipation.
Certain medications, such as iron supplements, also contribute to constipation.
- Can constipation cause nausea?
In some cases, yes. Drinking a tea made with a spoonful of fresh, crushed ginger is a long-standing home remedy for nausea.
- Can I take magnesium citrate for constipation?
A widely used over-the-counter osmotic laxative, magnesium citrate is a mineral salt that occurs naturally in citrus fruits and gives them their tart flavor.
- When to worry about constipation?
Speak with a doctor if your constipation lasts more than 2 weeks, doesn’t improve with home remedies, is severely painful, or causes rectal bleeding.
Take the next steps with your trusted partner in senior care
At IntraCare Health Centers, we provide whole-person healthcare designed specifically for older adults, putting your physical, emotional, and cognitive well-being first.
Our doctors don’t just treat problems; they help prevent them with early diagnoses, regular check-ups, medication reviews, and lifestyle support to keep you healthy and independent, especially if you’re dealing with constipation.
We proudly help seniors in Texas and Arizona enrolled in Original Medicare (Parts A and B) or Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans stay strong, active, and in control of your health.
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Final thoughts
Constipation is unpleasant, stressful, and some people might be embarrassed to have it. But with the right support, finding relief is very much possible.