Bowel Training for Constipation Relief

If you’re having trouble with your bowels and are plagued by constipation, a bowel training program can help. Bowel problems may be a digestive health issue you want to keep to yourself, and you may try to deal with any discomfort or embarrassment on your own. But a more effective way to find relief from constipation is by seeing your doctor for an examination and following his recommendations, which might include bowel training. Bowel training is a technique you can use to control bowel movements, and it can be beneficial for either fecal incontinence (the involuntary passage of stool) or constipation. Bowel training programs can be formal, with techniques followed under a doctor’s supervision, or more informal, says Francisco Marrero, MD, a gastroenterologist with the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. The most appropriate type of bowel training really depends on the individual patient and the particular problem, says Dr. Marrero. Whether working with a doctor for formal bowel training or trying an informal bowel training program yourself, you can learn to have bowel movements regularly with a few tips and a consistent schedule. What Is Bowel Training? Bowel training often involves creating a schedule for trying to have a bowel movement. For instance, says Marrero, some people with a weakened anal sphincter (the muscle around the anus) or those with certain nerve problems may not recognize the sensation that their rectum is filling and they need to have a bowel movement. Bowel training in this situation involves sitting down on the toilet, even if you don’t feel like you have to go, Marrero explains. Another technique involves strengthening the anal sphincter, which is a muscle. Kegel exercises — squeezing and holding the muscles in the pelvic area — can strengthen the muscle and help it to work better, Marrero says. Biofeedback, a training technique that teaches you how to recognize and control bodily functions, is one formal approach. With biofeedback you learn how to regulate certain muscles that can be used to help control a bowel movement and manage constipation.

Bowel Training for Constipation People with constipation can train their bodies to get things moving by taking certain steps after eating. “The colon tends to be most active after a meal,” says Marrero. This is because of the gastrocolic reflex, which senses food in the stomach and sends the lower gastrointestinal tract the message that it is time to function. If you’re constipated, sitting on the toilet for 20 to 30 minutes following a meal, even if you don’t feel the urge to have a bowel movement, can encourage your bowels to move. Marrero also stresses what he calls good “bowel hygiene — how you go about your process of having a bowel movement,” he explains. For instance, your body’s position during a bowel movement can help. Instead of sitting on the toilet with your feet flat on the floor, it’s easier to have a bowel movement if you put your feet up on a stool at about a 90-degree angle. “That can actually help people quite a bit,” Marrero says. It’s also important to train yourself on the right intensity with which to push. “Don’t push too hard when you’re trying to have a bowel movement. Sometimes when people are straining and pushing too hard, they’re squeezing their anal sphincter muscle and trying to evacuate against a closed sphincter,” Marrero says. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being straining very hard, he suggests staying between five and seven. Of course, though these methods can be very helpful, you can’t force your body to do what it’s not ready to do. “If it doesn’t work, give up and come back to the bathroom later and try again,” he suggests. Marrero says that several techniques can be used to train the bowels and relieve constipation. If you can’t find relief and are frequently constipated, work with your doctor for the best ways to manage your discomfort.

Medically Reviewed By Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH http://www.everydayhealth.com/