Restoring intestinal motility: what will help avoid constipation?

The intestines help the body get rid of processed food debris, which is released in the form of feces. Under normal conditions, an adult can defecate several times a day. But it happens that intestinal function decreases and as a result, regular or periodic constipation occurs. How, in this case, can the lazy intestines be made to work? What should you do if you don’t want to go to the doctor?

Symptoms and causes of lazy bowel syndrome

Such a delicate problem as “lazy bowel” syndrome may be familiar to many people and it often causes a lot of inconvenience and complications. This happens because harmful wastes and toxins that are formed in the sections of the large intestine and which should be excreted along with feces accumulate in the large intestine, and then enter the human circulatory system and spread throughout all human organs, poisoning them.

As a result, this appears:

• feeling of heaviness in the stomach and flatulence;
• constipation appears;
• general weakness, weight loss and loss of appetite;
• sleep disturbance;
• fatigue and irritability.

Preparing for a massage for a child

Before performing a abdominal massage, it is necessary to create all the conditions for its implementation so that the undressed baby does not freeze and feels comfortable.

• There should be no drafts in the room.
• The optimal indoor air temperature is 23 °C.
• Abdominal massage for constipation should be carried out on a hard surface, for example on a changing table or sofa, where you should first lay a blanket or terry towel, and an oilcloth on top.
• Tummy massage should be done using emollients (baby oil or milk), which make it easier for your hands to glide over the baby's skin.
• Before the procedure, you need to wash your hands and, if necessary, warm them in hot water. The child will not like the touch of cold fingers, and the session will not be beneficial.

Up to contents

What to do if you have a lazy bowel

If you have a lazy bowel, what should you do if you don’t want to rush to the hospital right away? You can try to cure this disease on your own without resorting to medications or medications.

You should not immediately buy another advertised medicine, since there is an effective alternative treatment that can quickly help “start up” your intestines and improve its functioning.

If constipation is not accompanied by severe pain, blood and mucus, then you can normalize the process of defecation on your own. To do this you must:

1. Drink 1 glass of boiled water on an empty stomach
   . You need to drink at least two liters of water and other liquids in any form per day.
2. Move more and do exercises in the morning
   . But without excessive zeal and stress. The main thing is to do the exercises constantly.
3. Before defecation, you need to place your legs straight out on a flat parallel surface and massage the abdominal area well in the navel area, moving your hands clockwise.
4. Completely change your diet
   . Food containing large amounts of healthy cleansing fiber will help to get your intestines moving. Eat fruits such as: apples, prunes, figs, plums, dates, raisins. Vegetables: carrots, beet, cabbage, fresh herbs. You can make a vinaigrette that will combine all of the vegetables listed. From porridges: oatmeal, buckwheat and bran will help restore intestinal function. A gentle diet of the listed products will help normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
5. Make a cleansing enema
   of 1.5 - 2 liters of boiled water. This procedure can be carried out in the evening on a weekend. You cannot do enemas regularly, since the intestines must empty themselves.
6. Medicines should be gentle and gentle
   . These can be lactulose-based laxatives, glycerin suppositories, which are allowed during pregnancy and nursing mothers. If the baby has constipation, then it is also necessary to use special children's medications or rectal suppositories.

7. “Teach” your intestines to empty your bowels at the same time every day after your first breakfast.
8. Do not tolerate if the body gives the urge to defecate, as otherwise the brain will stop signaling the natural need and this will lead to further constipation.

Gymnastics, running, exercises on horizontal bars, cycling, swimming can help, together with regular massage, to get rid of this syndrome without drug treatment. But if this is not enough, then you can additionally resort to folk remedies.

Positive effect of hydrogen water on intestinal motility

You will be surprised to know what is produced in our intestines. This is hydrogen.

Intestinal bacteria constantly synthesize or consume macro- and microelements. The produced substances travel further throughout the body. In this case, some bacteria consume molecular hydrogen, while others produce it. This process does not stop and occurs in every living organism.

In case of any human illness, the intestines release even more hydrogen to start all processes in the body.

Positive effect of hydrogen water on intestinal motility

But there is so little of it that it practically does not reach other organs and tissues.

Studies have shown that thanks to hydrogen, oxidation processes in the body are reduced, that is, it is hydrogen that has a positive effect on the intestines.

Nowadays, there is not a person left who has not heard about how important it is to maintain a drinking regime, but not everyone suspects how destructive the lack of sufficient water is for the entire digestive system and intestines in particular.

A process occurs in which enzymatic activity decreases, which causes a slowdown in the movement of stool, leading to constipation (hardening of the stool).

Impaired intestinal motility is a consequence of almost any disease of the gastrointestinal tract. Let us divide all disorders of intestinal motility into three groups:

• Changes in sphincter tone.
• Changes in pulsatile activity, that is, the process of contraction of smooth muscle cells in the intestinal walls.
• Reverse move.

This is interesting!

“The benefits of simple foods for your body” Read more

Diarrhea or constipation, already mentioned above, are obvious signs of violations.

Hydrogen is transferred into the body from the intestines by water, that is, it does not cause difficulties for it to overcome biological membranes and neutralize cytotoxic radicals that provoke oxidative stress. Precisely because hydrogen water is similar to the internal environment of our body, the intestines easily absorb it, the work of the smooth muscles of the intestinal walls is stimulated, which ultimately leads to the normalization of bowel movements, as well as to improved functioning of the intestinal microbiota.

So, we know that hydrogen is produced by our body, namely by the intestinal microflora. For example, lactobacilli, together with molecular hydrogen, have antioxidant properties, which reduce the activity of an enzyme such as peroxidase.

The cells of the large intestine are always in a state of “permanent inflammation”, since the entire mucous membrane of the human intestine, especially the large intestine, is infiltrated with cells that provide immunity (macrophages, lymphocytes), therefore, in order for the fight against pathogenic microflora to occur and the motility of the large intestine to function normally, hydrogen is needed.

The pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis proves to us: in order for sulfates to be reduced into sulfites, and for methane to be formed from carbon dioxide and hydrogen, hydrogen is needed in sufficient quantities.

In addition, we studied how microorganisms influence the motility of the large intestine: short-chain fatty acids synthesized by microflora stimulate increased motility, as well as easier bowel movements.

But intestinal motility depends not only on microorganisms; hydrogen itself affects the smooth muscles of the intestinal walls.

Positive effect of hydrogen water on intestinal motility

To prove this statement, it was necessary to conduct a scientific experiment on rats. The rats studied suffered from ischemic intestinal disease, which was a consequence of compression of the artery feeding it (the mesenteric artery). However, after systematic treatment of the intestine, the severity of the disease was reduced by inducing apoptosis (programmed cell death).

This confirms that hydrogen has a positive effect on contractile intestinal function, normalization of intestinal motility occurs, which leads to easier defecation and renewal of enterocytes, as well as the fight against oxidative stress, which provoke acute and chronic inflammatory processes.

Traditional recipes for constipation

1. You need to take 2 tsp. dried flax seed in the morning before breakfast to provide the body with plenty of fiber.
2. Take 8 tbsp. spoons of stewed peeled apples, 80 milligrams of prune juice and 8 tsp. bran Mix all this and take two to three tablespoons every day after lunch with a glass of water. Store in the refrigerator for no more than 3 weeks.
3. Take 100 grams of dried apricots, raisins and prunes and grind them in a blender. Add 1 tbsp. hay and natural honey. Mix the composition and take in the morning before breakfast (10 grams each).

4. Pour boiling water (250 ml) over about 10-20 grams of ordinary plantain seeds and leave for 25 to 30 minutes. First 2 tbsp. spoons should be taken on an empty stomach, and then 1 tbsp. twenty minutes before each meal. Shake before use.
5. Pour 250 ml of crushed buckthorn bark (10 grams). water and boil for about 20 minutes. Take the strained infusion according to? a glass early in the morning and at 10-11 pm before bed.
6. Remove thorns from aloe leaves (2-3 pieces), then crush them and add to melted honey (300 grams). Let it sit for 24 hours and reheat again. Take 2 hours before meals.

If all of the above methods do not help within 2-3 weeks, then you should consult a gastroenterologist.

[media=
https://youtu.be/TD19M2yqp1o
]

How to make your intestines work?

A properly selected diet will help restore the functioning of the organ.

It is possible to start therapy when the intestines do not work only after establishing the cause of this phenomenon. It is impossible to do this correctly on your own, since not all pathologies can be eliminated with the help of laxatives and additional methods. Only a specialist can quickly and effectively cure a lazy organ. To restore the patient, a set of corrective procedures is recommended, which includes methods such as:

• diet;
• lifestyle changes;
• physiotherapy;
• pharmaceuticals;
• treatment with folk remedies;
• washing.

An active lifestyle has a positive effect not only on the gastrointestinal tract, but also on the entire body. If food is regularly poorly digested in a lazy intestine, the patient should pay attention to lifestyle, especially for older people who are sedentary. A sluggish, poorly functioning intestine is directly related to the rhythm of life. It is recommended to walk more. It is useful to take a walk in the fresh air in the evenings, especially if the patient has a sedentary job.

Sometimes it is possible to eliminate the symptoms of a malfunctioning lazy intestine and make it work only by adjusting your diet.

A diet that will contribute to the adequate functioning of the organ should include foods that improve peristalsis and speed up metabolism. Therefore, your diet should include foods rich in fiber, such as fresh vegetables and fruits. Carrots, raisins, broccoli, porridge, cabbage, and bran bread are considered healthy foods. Children are recommended to drink carrot juice. You should not eat enveloping foods, jelly, chocolate.

What is constipation

Constipation is said to occur when a person has infrequent or difficult bowel movements.
On average, it is believed that the number of bowel movements should not be less than 3 times a week, although in fact there are no required minimums or maximums. Also, defecation should occur without tension, frequent and prolonged straining. And after defecation, a person should not have the feeling of incomplete bowel movement. Constipation is defined as slow or difficult bowel movements. In the medical literature, this condition is also called constipation or obstipation. Moreover, the term “constipation” itself is not just colloquial and appears in the International Classification of Diseases ICD-10.

Important! According to statistics, up to half of the population of developed countries experience difficulties with defecation. At the same time, constipation is not only a problem for adults. Constipation also occurs in 5-20% of children. With age, the likelihood of constipation (as well as other gastrointestinal disorders) increases. Thus, in older people over 65 years of age, constipation occurs 4-5 times more often than in young people.

People of all ages experience constipation for various reasons. According to the etiological factor, constipation is divided into organic and functional.

Organic constipation

Constipation is considered organic if it is caused by congenital developmental abnormalities, inflammatory or tumor diseases of the intestine. For example, constipation occurs with congenital intussusception, volvulus, inflammatory damage to the omentum and a number of other pathologies. In other words, such constipation develops against the background of organic intestinal lesions.

Functional constipation

Functional constipation develops against the background of impairment of certain functions. For example, secretory or suction. Constipation often occurs due to disruption of the nervous system, including under severe stress.

With functional constipation (FC), there are no organic intestinal lesions. In children and adolescents, FZ is determined by criteria including: infrequent and hard stools, fecal incontinence, painful bowel movements - provided that these symptoms are not explained by another medical condition, according to the Rome IV criteria (functional gastrointestinal diseases). In adults, the criteria are slightly different, including a feeling of straining or obstruction, a feeling of not completely emptying the bowels, and infrequent (less than 3 times a week) hard stools in at least a quarter of all bowel movements. However, sometimes patients may have bloating or abdominal pain - but these are not the predominant symptoms of FZ.

According to the nature of the course, constipation is divided into acute and chronic. Let's take a closer look at the features of acute and chronic constipation.

Acute constipation

This is episodic constipation that occurs suddenly and lasts no more than 12 weeks. Most often, acute constipation occurs due to poor nutrition and organic intestinal lesions, and less often due to functional disorders.

Acute constipation can occur with intestinal obstruction, inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, disorders of the nervous system, endocrine pathologies, physical inactivity and other diseases and circumstances. Sometimes severe constipation occurs as a side effect of taking certain medications.

Chronic constipation

With chronic constipation, difficult or infrequent bowel movements occur for 12 weeks or more. People suffering from chronic constipation have bowel movements less than 3 times a week for a long period of time. This condition significantly reduces the quality of life and is also fraught with the development of a number of complications. In particular, chronic constipation can lead to anal fissure, hemorrhoids, rectal prolapse and other complications.

Medicines for lazy bowels

Most people consider it to be insignificant and therefore do not rush to contact a specialist. How to make a lazy intestine work in an adult with drugs:

• To stimulate bowel movements, it is recommended to take Glauber's salt
  . The drug increases osmotic pressure, as a result of which the absorption of fluid by the walls of the organ decreases, and consequently, peristalsis improves. Even with acute constipation, bowel movement occurs 1-2 hours after taking the drug. Frequent use is excluded, as it can cause dehydration;
• A spoonful of castor oil can solve the problem, since taking the product helps the stool to move forward
  . The laxative effect is achieved after 4-6 hours. There may be slight pain in the abdominal area;
• You can take drugs that enhance motility, such as Vasopressin
  . However, it is worth remembering that such drugs have strong side effects and are contraindicated in patients with circulatory disorders. Therefore, they should be used exclusively as prescribed by a doctor, who determines the dosage;
• Taking a laxative such as Guttalax stimulates the functioning of the intestines well
  . This is a synthetic drug based on sodium picosulfate monohydrate. The laxative effect appears 6-12 hours after administration;
• Senadexin is a natural remedy based on an extract obtained from senna leaves
  . Tones smooth muscles, which leads to contraction of the walls of the organ and easier bowel movements.

You should not overuse such methods, as the intestines may forget how to work independently. As soon as bowel movements are regulated, you should stop taking medications.

Physiology of intestinal motility

So, intestinal motility - what is it? Motility, or peristalsis, of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is the process of coordinated contractions of its smooth muscles, which are represented by a set of longitudinal and circular muscle fibers.

This process begins with a piece of food entering the mouth. Chewing and swallowing lead to the launch of the digestive system, which includes gastrointestinal peristalsis. When a bolus of food enters the intestine, its smooth muscles are stretched, the response to which is their contraction. The coordinated work of the intestinal muscles leads to the fact that its contents and digestive juices are mixed and moved to the lower sections of the gastrointestinal tract for final processing with the subsequent removal from the body of those residues that have not been digested.

Peristalsis is complemented by rhythmic segmentation, tonic muscle contractions, pendulum-like and propulsive movements of the intestine, which together are called motility.

A person does not control intestinal motility; the process occurs reflexively. The strength and frequency of contractions of the intestinal muscles depend on the autonomic nervous system, which regulates the functioning of the internal organs. Its parasympathetic part affects peristalsis, which consequently increases, and signals from the sympathetic nervous system lead to the fact that the motor activity of the gastrointestinal tract weakens.

Physiology of intestinal motility

It normally takes 1-3 days to complete the complete digestion process, with the greatest time being devoted to the movement of food masses in the large intestine.

Only after a two to three hour period does food enter the small intestine. That is, it takes about a day to fill the colon and remove undigested food debris out. If peristalsis is impaired, then this process slows down or accelerates, that is, it is either poor or increased intestinal motility.

Prevention of lazy bowel

It is useful to perform some exercises that prevent stagnation of feces in the intestines. Here are some recommendations:

• You need to lie on your back, raise your legs up and perform the scissors exercise at least twenty times.
• In a lying position, a similar exercise is performed, only now the legs need to be raised and lowered from below, and performed up to thirty times.
• Lie with your stomach up - bend both legs and press them as close as possible to your chest.
• The knee joint should touch the head. The procedure is done up to twenty times.

Prevention allows you to always maintain normal bowels. Important:

• Exercise or play sports regularly.
• Do exercises in the morning to get your intestines working.
• Spend less time watching TV or computer.
• Eat more fruits and vegetables containing fiber.
• Eat up to five times a day, but no more than three hours between meals.
• Avoid snacking on the go.

If you apply everything together, the intestines will be healthy, the body will work correctly and balanced. So, there are many ways to kick start your lazy gut. Before deciding on treatment, it is important to determine the exact cause of the intestinal failure and consult a doctor.

Why is constipation dangerous?

Source: ru.freepik.com
The danger of constipation depends on the stage - compensated, subcompensated and decompensated.

• Compensated constipation is most often observed in people under 45-50 years of age. This form of constipation does not pose a serious danger to the body. As a rule, dietary adjustments and physical activity are sufficient to eliminate such constipation.
• Subcompensated constipation is a more serious form of constipation, in which some pathological changes in the gastrointestinal tract are already noted. At this stage, people experience liver damage, abdominal pain, as well as damage to other organs and systems.
• Decompensated constipation is observed against the background of serious pathological changes in the body. With decompensated constipation, bowel movements may not occur for up to 7 days or more. Undesirable consequences of constipation include inflammatory bowel disease, bleeding during bowel movements, hemorrhoids, and the risk of tumors.

Constipation in pregnant women

During pregnancy, constipation often occurs due to hormonal changes. The situation is aggravated by dietary violations and taking iron and calcium supplements. Already in late pregnancy, constipation occurs due to decreased physical activity, increased size and changes in the position of the fetus (when the baby's head puts strong pressure on the intestines), as well as emotional experiences.

Common consequences of constipation in pregnant women include:

• disturbances of intestinal microflora;
• inflammatory diseases of the female genital organs;
• intoxication of the body due to putrefactive processes in the intestines;
• premature birth (due to strong straining during bowel movements).

Constipation in a child

Constipation in children is a fairly common problem. However, the causes of constipation in children are not the same as in adults. Most often, the causes of constipation in children are allergies, improper feeding of the child, as well as congenital abnormalities of intestinal development.

Early potty training and inadequate sanitary conditions in the place of residence or study also contribute to the appearance of constipation in a child.

As in adults, frequent and prolonged constipation in children can trigger the development of inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, constipation weakens the child’s immunity and contributes to frequent colds and other infectious diseases.

X-ray of constipation in a young child. Photo: James Heilman, MD / (CC BY 3.0)

When to see a doctor

Occasional constipation happens to everyone. Most likely, the cause is poor nutrition or stress. Such cases do not require medical intervention and go away on their own with normalization of nutrition. You should consult a doctor if constipation bothers you often and for a long time. The fact that laxatives are needed for normal bowel movements already suggests that it’s time to see a doctor.