Constipation: 6 Ways to Unblock Yourself. From Cleveland Clinic Samir Rafla (Fellow Cleveland Clinic, Ohio 1983-84 )

1. Constipation: 6 Ways to Unblock Yourself
Relief for common or complicated cases
Brooke Gurland, MD | 5/1/13.
You’re bloated and blocked. You strain on the toilet with no results — or with results
that are painful. You’re constipated.
Constipation is common. Sometimes it stems from stress. Other times it comes from
bad diet or lifestyle choices. Still other times, it’s brought on by a medical condition that
requires a doctor’s attention.
You can find relief, though, whether your constipation is a typical case or something
more serious. The difference comes in how you find relief.
1. Solutions are simple for most people
Most of the time constipation happens because you’re not eating the right foods, you’re
not drinking enough water and you’re not exercising enough. So the fixes are
straightforward: Move more, drink more water andadd fiber to your diet to add bulk to
your stool. Some of my patients have had success taking probiotics, too, to change the
composition of the bacteria in the gut.
“Here’s the bottom line: Try simple fixes first, but if they fail, don’t suffer needlessly.”
Brooke Gurland, MD
Department of Colorectal Surgery
2. Make time to move your bowels
This may sound simple, but people don’t always make bathroom time a priority. Try
waking up earlier to eat breakfast and then move your bowels. Food can stimulate the
need to go, and your home bathroom may be more relaxing. But don’t avoid public
bathrooms when you feel the urge, either. Delaying a bowel movement can make
constipation worse.
3. Look to your plate
Have you made a major change in your diet? Sometimes drastic changes to what you
eat can cause constipation. For example, if you suddenly cut all fat from your diet, it’s
easy to get blocked up. This can occur in weightlifters who eat all protein, no fat. It can
happen in people with eating disorders, too. You don’t want to overdo fat, but you need
a little to move things through your bowel.
4. When to see a doctor
Sometimes simple changes are not enough. If your constipation is more than just a
short-term bother, if it’s not responding to treatments and if it lasts for weeks, get
yourself checked out to exclude more serious medical causes. Chronic constipation
can be a sign of conditions such as hyperthyroidism, hypercalcemia, celiac
disease or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It’s especially important to see a

2. professional if you have other symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, cramping or
spasms.
5. Fiber is not always the answer
Fiber works for most people, but not all. If fiber makes you more bloated and blocked
than before, it could mean many different things. For example, in “slow transit
constipation,” a condition where the bowel does not move things quickly through, fiber
just sits there in your gut and can make you feel worse. Long story short: If fiber makes
you worse, don’t just add more. Seek help.
6. If your constipation is serious, you have options
People with slow motility or IBS don’t have a cure for constipation, but you can treat it.
There’s a wide range of laxatives available, plus pro-motility drugs that a doctor can
prescribe. Sometimes at-home remedies can bring relief, too, including increasing
dietary vegetable or mineral oil to lubricate the bowels. For people with celiac disease
or wheat intolerance, cutting out gluten can make a world of difference.
Here’s the bottom line: Try simple fixes first, but if they fail, don’t suffer needlessly. See
a doctor — and find out what treatments can get your bowels moving again