Constipation Relief and Age
Treating Constipation - Primary and Secondary Types
Treating constipation may vary for every patient and how the doctor wants to proceed with the treatment.
Nevertheless, constipation can be divided to primary and secondary types depending on the cause of the problem. The process of treating constipation can therefore also depend on the determined cause.
Primary constipation or functional constipation is caused by:
Normal Transit Constipation – normal passage rate of stool
Slow Transit Constipation – delayed passage of stool which may result in bloating and infrequent bowel movement
Anorectal Dysfunction – inefficient coordination of the pelvic musculature in bowel movement
With primary constipation, treating constipation for the aged population can begin with empiric treatment without the use of drugs. This may include adding dietary fiber, recommending simple exercises, and asking the patient to keep track o his/her food intake using a diary.
Treating constipation with primary causes may also include the use of laxatives if results for the initial treatment are not successful.
Secondary constipation on the other hand, is often caused by medical and psychiatric conditions. Tests for complete blood count, serum glucose, creatinine levels, thyroid stimulating hormones, and calcium may be necessary to determine this type of constipation. Sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy are also usually done for patients who are over 50 years old to rule out colon cancer.
