828-Laxatives: A Parent’s Guide to the Successful Management of Constipation in Children
When a new baby is born, we assume that he or she will spend most of the first few months of life engaged in a small number of basic activities: sleeping, feeding, peeing, and pooping. The passage of waste is a basic function of all living organisms, which is so ingrained and routine that most of us do not even think twice about it. The inability to defecate in children is usually due either to a problem with formation of the anus or with the inability of the colon to push the stool from one end to the other (Hirschsprung’s disease and other motility disorders).
808-Functional Fecal Retention
Most people feel that a daily stool is a sign of good health at any age. Some people pay close attention to the frequency, size, and consistency of their children’s stools. Any deviation from the expected norm is a source of concern and leads to a call or visit to the doctor’s office. About 3% of visits to the pediatrician’s office, and 25% of pediatric gastroenterology specialist visits, are for constipation. Functional fecal retention is the most common cause of childhood constipation.
162 – Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders of the Small Intestine, Large Intestine, Rectum, and Pelvic Floor
The gastrointestinal tract is divided into four distinct parts that are separated by sphincter muscles; these four regions have distinctly different functions to perform and different patterns of motility (contractions). Abnormal motility or abnormal sensitivity in any part of the gastrointestinal tract can cause characteristic symptoms: food sticking, pain, or heartburn in the esophagus; nausea and vomiting in the stomach; pain and bloating in the small intestine; and pain, constipation, diarrhea, and incontinence in the colon and rectum.
314-Changes in Bowel Control at Childbirth
Easy Read Format. Many women develop bowel control problems during or after pregnancy. Changes can occur in muscles and nerves that control the ability to hold in gas, urine, or stool. These problems may begin right away or years after delivery. This article reviews causes, ways to improve bowel control, and tips on finding help. Also available offline as a glossy color brochure (3.5″ x 8.5″). Contact IFFGD for details.
This publication is also available in Spanish. Go»
234- A Noisy Tummy: What Does it Mean?
While seldom of medical importance, for some people a rumbling, growling stomach can be a source of profound embarrassment. Picturesquely dubbed “borborygmi,” bowel sounds seem loudest to the owner, who is sometimes mistakenly convinced they are obvious to all. This article explains the causes of bowel sounds, discusses when the sounds become a cause for medical concern, and offers some tips that may help reduce bowel noises.
262-Understanding Bloating and Distension
Bloating can be described as the feeling that there is an inflated balloon in the abdomen. It is a commonly reported symptom and is sometimes associated with distension, or the visible increase in the width of the area between your hips and chest (abdominal girth). Both bloating and distension cause discomfort, and sometimes pain, and have a negative impact on the quality of life for some individuals.
170-What is Constipation Anyway?
Notions of bowel habit lie in the eyes of the beholders. Constipation is one of the most difficult gut symptoms to define. Patients, physicians, and physiologists have different views of the condition. The difficulty lies in the many, but variably present, features of constipation. Since more than 98% of people have at least 3 bowel movements per week, less is often invoked as abnormal. Many manage happily with less, while others within that range are decidedly uncomfortable with what they believe is constipation. Reviewed and updated 2009.
237-Dyssynergic Defecation: Questions and Answers About a Common Cause of Chronic Constipation
Constipation affects nearly everyone at some point in their lives. Constipation that occurs now and then may result from many factors such as dietary changes, some medicines, or inactivity or travel and will generally respond to simple lifestyle measures. But constipation that is long-lasting or keeps coming back (chronic) may require more effort to diagnose and treat. When that happens, a trip to the doctor is in order to find out the cause and develop a treatment plan.
118 – Evaluation and Treatment of Constipation
Constipation is one of the most common gastrointestinal complaints in the United States. It afflicts approximately 1 in 6 individuals and is responsible for approximately 2.5 million physician visits each year. More than $400 million is spent annually on over-the-counter laxatives; at least 120 of these products are available. The management of constipation includes patient education about bowel function and diet, behavior modification, drug therapy, and infrequently, surgery. Revised 1/2012
197 – Common Questions About Constipation: Myths and Misconceptions
Is there a danger from constipation that stool can remain for too long a time period in the colon? Can this cause other disease?
Can changes in hormones cause constipation?
Is constipation caused by low intake of fiber or fluid?
Is the long-term use of stimulant laxatives for constipation unhealthy or unsafe? Are stimulant laxatives habit forming?
This article addresses various myths and misconceptions about constipation and its treatment. Though most of these issues are well understood by the medical practice community, they persist among the general public and are still promoted by those who are uninformed.
239-Is Constipation and Bloating Related to Menstrual Periods?
This Clinical Corner article discusses how constipation and bloating are affected by menstruation, especially in women with IBS, and offers some tips for controlling the bowel symptoms and the pain.
116 – Doctor – Patient Communication
Functional GI disorders present a special challenge to the doctor-patient interaction for several reasons. First, functional GI disorders are characterized, in most cases, by vague symptoms of variable intensity. Many times, these symptoms involve the most intimate anatomic areas of the body. The sensitivity of these issues can complicate the task for the patient who needs to express them in terms that the physician can interpret to formulate a diagnosis. Secondly, the physician is hampered by the absence of obvious structural lesions that often lessens the likelihood of devising a specific medical intervention that is successful. In some cases, the physician’s own anxiety can be increased by the lack of a symptom complex that leads to well-understood disease entity, such as parasites or lactose intolerance. This deficiency, in turn, often leads both physician and patient to over-investigate the symptoms. So what are the ingredients that comprise successful doctor-patient communication about the functional GI disorders?
