Laxatives for Constipation

Medical Author: John P. Cunha, DO
Medical Editor: Jay W. Marks, MD

• What is constipation?
• What causes constipation?
• When should a doctor be consulted for constipation?
• What non-drug measures can you take for constipation?
• What over-the-counter preparations can be used for constipation?
  • Bulk-Forming Laxatives
  • Stool Softeners (emollient laxatives)
  • Lubricant Laxatives
  • Stimulant Laxatives
  • Saline Laxatives
  • Enemas and Suppositories
• Laxatives for Constipation At A Glance

What is constipation?

Constipation is a condition that is characterized by infrequent bowel movements that are painful or difficult, or stools that are hard in consistency. Infrequent bowel movements alone are not a reliable indicator of constipation because bowel frequency can vary between three times a day to once a week among normal individuals. Therefore, hard stools that are difficult to pass or infrequent stools accompanied by abdominal pain, back pain, and abdominal bloating define important constipation.

What are the causes of constipation?

There are many causes of constipation including:

• Diets low in fiber. Fiber is vegetable material that is resistant to digestion. It promotes soft stools by adding bulk to the stool and causing water to be retained in stool.
  
  
• Side effects of medications such as narcotic pain killers, antidepressants, iron supplements, calcium channel blockers (a class of medications for high blood pressure), and certain types of antacids.
  
  
• Narrowing or blockage of the large intestine (colon) due to colon cancer or advanced diverticulosis.
  
  
• Ineffective contraction or spasm of the colon's muscles due to irritable bowel syndrome or other diseases of the colon's muscles.
  
  
• Hormonal (endocrine) disturbances such as an under- active thyroid gland and diabetes mellitus with nerve damage.
  
  
• Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and other neurologic conditions.

Examples of common medications that can cause constipation:

• Narcotic pain medications: codeine (Tylenol #3), oxycodone (Percocet), and guaifenesin/hydromorphone (Dilaudid) and others
  
  
• Antidepressants: amitriptyline (Elavil), fluoxetine (Prozac), and imipramine (Tofranil)
  
  
• Anticonvulsants: phenytoin (Dilantin) and carbamazepine (Tegretol)
  
  
• Iron supplements
  
  
• Calcium channel blockers [for example, diltiazem (Cardizem) and nifedipine (Procardia)]
  
  
• Antacids [for example, aluminum hydroxide (Amphojel) and aluminum carbonate (Basaljel)]

Suggested Reading by Our Doctors

• Hemorrhoids - In-depth article on hemorrhoids: symptoms, causes, and treatments including exactly what haemorrhoids (also known as piles) are. Read details about internal and external hemmorrhoids, and the different types of over-the-counter treatments.
• Constipation - Read details about constipation and the different treatments available for constipation including laxatives, dietary fiber, enemas, suppositories, drugs, and surgery.
• The Digestive System - Read about the digestive system from chewing food, swallowing, emptying into the stomach, through the small and large intestines, and then expelling waste through the anus.

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