How To Relieve Constipation Fast: 6 Natural Home Remedies Backed by Doctors
No need for harsh stimulant laxatives—these fixes are gentle on your digestive system
Oftentimes constipation is more than just a minor inconvenience—it can be downright painful and trigger uncomfortable bloating and cramping. Sure, there are a bounty of constipation prevention options out there, from dietary changes to regular exercise to over-the-counter products. But what about those times where you’re so backed up it feels like you can’t function until you have a bowel movement? Here we reveal how to relieve constipation fast using natural home remedies.
And as a happy bonus, helping your body “go” regularly does more than just relieve discomfort: According to a study in Cell Reports Medicine, it also boosts your overall health. Plus these easy fixes let you avoid certain chemicals in drugs that research in Neurology suggests may increase the risk of memory troubles by up to 51 percent.
What causes constipation?
Before we get into how to relieve constipation with home remedies, it’s important to understand why it happens in the first place.
Woman's World Answers
“Constipation occurs when your colon does not absorb enough water, making stools hard and difficult to pass,” explains Raj Dasgupta, MD, ABIM quadruple board-certified physician and medical reviewer for the National Council on Aging. “This causes discomfort, including bloating, pain and a feeling of being full.”
Constipation is a lack of regular bowel movements (fewer than three per week) or not feeling fully evacuated after going to the bathroom, adds Kenneth Brown, MD, gastroenterologist at Atrantil.
Lack of dietary fiber intake, not drinking enough water, lack of regular physical activity or taking certain medications like painkillers can cause constipation, says Dr. Dasgupta. Another possible cause is slow gut motility. This is when the muscles of the colon move slowly, notes Asma Khapra, MD, gastroenterologist at Gastro Health. Pelvic floor dysfunction, menopause and health conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may also play a role.
How to relieve constipation fast: 6 easy tips
While immediate constipation relief may not be possible, you can feel better quickly and encourage healthy emptying of your bowels. The best part? Doing so doesn’t require the use of stool softeners or stimulant laxatives, which may cause side effects like nausea, cramping and dizziness. Here, easy ways to relieve constipation naturally.
1. Keep bathroom visits brief
The last thing you want to do when you’re constipated is sit on the toilet for too long. In fact, it can be counterproductive. Sitting on the toilet often puts excess pressure on your pelvic floor muscles and can prevent them from working correctly. This can actually worsen constipation in the long run, says Dr. Khapra. Plus straining can contribute to hemorrhoids or anal fissures, cautions Dr. Brown.
Dr. Khapra’s advice? Avoid sitting and straining for more than five minutes. If you can’t move your bowels after that time, stand up and walk around before coming back later when you have the urge.
2. Sip ginger tea
Drinking plenty of water is a must when you’re trying to relieve chronic constipation. Even mild dehydration can cause your colon to siphon off water from your stool, leaving it harder and more difficult to pass. For quick relief, try sipping a warm drink like ginger tea or ginger-infused water to get things moving, offers Dr. Dasgupta.
Why ginger, in particular? Not only does a ginger drink boost your H2O intake, but a study in Food Science & Nutrition suggests that the spice’s active compounds also help food move through the stomach 23 percent faster.
3. Switch your position on the toilet
When you do feel ready to go to the bathroom, try propping up your feet, says Dr. Brown. Use a Squatty Potty or small stool (about 7” to 9”) to get your knees above your hips, then lean slightly forward. This is a more natural position to move your bowels and helps you pass stool, he explains.
4. Move and massage your body
“To achieve natural relief from constipation, you can apply gentle pressure in a clockwise motion around the abdomen,” says David Clarke, MD, Gastroenterologist and President of the Psychophysiologic Disorders Association. “It can help relieve constipation and improve bowel movements. Small studies have shown that abdominal massage can increase the frequency of bowel movements in constipated individuals.”
If you decide to try this, you can follow along with the video below:
Simple stretches like bending forward or twisting your torso can also help.
5. Eat high-fiber foods
Fiber supplementation is key, since it helps draw water into the colon to make stools softer and easier to pass. That’s why Dr. Dasgupta recommends eating more foods packed with fiber, such as prunes or kiwi, to help treat constipation.
You can also try stirring a spoonful of fiber-rich chia seeds, ground flaxseed or oat bran into your favorite dishes. They’re so mild in flavor you won’t notice the difference, yet their abundance of fiber helps bulk up and soften stool, keeping things running smoothly. Indeed, a British meta-analysis found that boosting fiber relieved chronic constipation in 77 percent of people, while a study in BMC Public Health suggests that each extra gram of fiber we consume may help prevent constipation in the future too.
Tip: Not a fan of fiber-rich foods? Dr. Dasgupta says you can try taking 1 Tbs. of olive oil per day until symptoms improve, which may help soften stools and stimulate the digestive tract.
6. Take short stroll
Queue up four feel-good songs and start walking after a heavy meal. Enjoy the first two tracks as you head away from home, then turn around and walk back to enjoy the last two songs on your mini playlist to help relieve constipation. Dr. Dasgupta says walking kickstarts tiny muscle contractions called peristalsis that get intestines moving. And when done regularly, a Harvard study suggests the habit may lower the chances of constipation by 44 percent.
Conversation
All comments are subject to our Community Guidelines. Woman's World does not endorse the opinions and views shared by our readers in our comment sections. Our comments section is a place where readers can engage in healthy, productive, lively, and respectful discussions. Offensive language, hate speech, personal attacks, and/or defamatory statements are not permitted. Advertising or spam is also prohibited.
