During hospitalization, there is a special way of care that can be difficult for patients: every day at a fixed time, the nurse sister will come over and ask: Did you have a bowel movement today? How many days have passed? Some patients feel embarrassed and wonder why they ask every day. In fact, this job is crucial as it can assist healthcare workers in determining whether patients have experienced constipation.
1. What is constipation?
When a patient experiences a decrease in bowel frequency (no more than 3 bowel movements per week), dry and hard stool, or noticeable difficulty in defecation despite not having dry stool, it can be considered constipation. This symptom is a common complication, especially for patients who must lie in bed completely. The incidence rate of constipation is significantly higher than that of normal people. If this situation occurs, it will bring significant negative effects to the patient's psychology and physiology, and even have a great impact on the patient's condition, treatment, and rehabilitation. Therefore, it needs to be taken seriously.
Why is bed rest more prone to constipation?
(1) The normal peristalsis of the intestine can be disrupted by factors such as a lack of dietary fiber, prolonged sitting or bed rest.
(2) Long term or excessive use of laxatives. Although laxatives have a therapeutic effect on constipation, long-term use can lead to increased dependence on laxatives in the intestine, decreased activity, damage to the enteric nervous system, and ultimately constipation.
(3) The impact of medication or excessive use of medication. Preparations containing cations such as calcium, iron, bismuth, etc. can combine with substances in food, causing stool to harden and difficult to excrete, resulting in difficulty in defecation and blockage of stool; Some medications such as anticholinergic drugs, sleeping pills, and anesthetics can cause constipation.
(4) Lying in bed for a long time can easily ignore signals of bowel movements. Lying in bed can cause a decline in gastrointestinal function, preventing the timely elimination of food residues from the body, and slowing down bowel movements. Even if one wants to defecate again, the sensation is not strong.
(5) Under physiological digestive dysfunction, due to the weak digestive system of the human body, feces cannot be fully softened, resulting in constipation.
How can we prevent constipation?
(1) Eat more vegetables and fruits, drink more water: In daily life, it is necessary to have a certain regular diet, pay attention to mixed foods such as rice, noodles, and miscellaneous grains, and eat more foods containing a large amount of crude fiber; When eating, chew carefully and slowly to avoid inhaling large amounts of gas and causing abdominal swelling due to rapid swallowing. Drink plenty of water. For those with unlimited medical conditions, drink at least 2000 milliliters of water per day; Additionally, taking a sip of warm or brackish water every morning after waking up can promote intestinal peristalsis.
(2) Rub your stomach and move your legs ": active limbs should move more and turn over more frequently; Regular deep breathing, abdominal tightening, anal sphincter lifting, and other movements, performed about 100 times a day, can help strengthen gastrointestinal function, improve gastrointestinal absorption, and facilitate bowel movements.
(3) Abdominal massage when lying in bed: Adopt a supine position to completely relax the body, and perform circular massage on your belly with the navel as the center. The pressure of both hands should be limited to what you can bear, from light to strong, stable and lasting. First, perform 100 back thrusts, and then 100 forward thrusts, usually for 15 minutes, with a frequency of about 1-2 times a day, to make your intestines feel slightly compressed.
(4) Try to cultivate good bowel habits and practice defecation within a certain period of time: take deep breaths during defecation, enhance the strength of abdominal muscles, and promote bowel movement through abdominal pressure. Do not ignore the convenience or intentionally prolong the time after defecation due to inconvenience. When needed, a laxative can be used to help patients successfully pass their first bowel movement after bed rest and help them find the feeling of defecation.