While bowel regularity differs between people, typically you should be having a formed, easy to pass bowel movement at least once daily on most days. Chronic constipation is defined as one or all of the following:
Some of the associated symptoms of constipation can include:
There can be many reasons for constipation such as:
Conventional medical treatment options for constipation are directed toward symptom relief and might include regular ongoing intake of various laxative medications as well as adding psyllium fibre. In some severe cases a motility medication might be added or surgery performed. Chronic overuse of laxatives, however, can have many side effects including: electrolyte disturbances, dehydration, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, and damage to colon muscles and nerves. These serious long terms side effects are counter productive and can worsen constipation as well as cause a dependency issue.
The Naturopathic Medicine Approach
In Naturopathic medicine, we strive to treat the root cause of constipation. Rather than giving regular laxative medicine to take every day indefinitely, a Naturopath will look to address the root cause for constipation. This can sometimes be low fibre intake or dehydration, but it can also be due to other factors such as Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), food sensitivities or a problem with the migrating motor complex (MMC). The MMC can be impaired by bacterial overgrowths like SIBO and this negatively affects motility. Once fixed, bowels often return to normal daily, easy to pass movements.
Following a comprehensive assessment, Naturopathic treatment for addressing constipation includes a mix of dietary changes, nutritional medicine and herbal medicine therapies designed to get correct the underlying cause and get your gut working better.
Gut Repair is What We do.
Book your appointment with Dr. Andresen and discover how naturopathic medicine can effectively treat your digestive concerns like constipation without causing adverse drug reactions and dependency in your body.
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