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Laxatives For Constipation Center - Cedar Rapids, IA

Cedar Rapids Gastroenterologist Doctors for Laxatives For Constipation

Type of Physician: Gastroenterologist

What is a Gastroenterologist?

A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine; practitioners focus on the stomach, intestines, colon, liver, and gallbladder (digestive organs). The gastroenterologist treats conditions such as abdominal pain, ulcers, diarrhea, cancer, and jaundice and they consult with surgeons when abdominal operations are indicated.

Specialty: Gastroenterology

Common Name: GI Doctor

Gastroenterologist Doctors in Cedar Rapids *

Internists PC
Nile Dusdieker
115 8th St NE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
(319) 363-3565

Gastroenterologists PC
Dean Abramson
931 8th Ave SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
(319) 366-8695

Gastroenterologists PC
Sudhakar Misra
931 8th Ave SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
(319) 366-8695

Gastroenterologists PC
Douglas J Purdy
931 8th Ave SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
(319) 366-8695

Gastroenterologists PC
Leon Qiao
931 8th Ave SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
(319) 366-8695

Gastroenterologists PC
Robert A Silber
931 8th Ave SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
(319) 366-8695

Gastroenterologists PC
Gary Weinman
931 8th Ave SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
(319) 366-8695

Center for Digestive Diseases
Robert W Summers
200 Hawkins Dr
Iowa City, IA 52242
(319) 356-4901

Center for Digestive Diseases
Cyrus P Tamboli
200 Hawkins Dr
Iowa City, IA 52242
(319) 356-4901

Gastroenterology Associates of Iowa City PC
Roger Joe Ewing
540 E Jefferson St
STE 102
Iowa City, IA 52245
(319) 337-5997

Gastroenterology Associates of Iowa City PC
Brian O'Meara
540 E Jefferson St
STE 102
Iowa City, IA 52245
(319) 337-5997

Gastroenterology Associates of Iowa City PC
Thomas Shreves
540 E Jefferson St
STE 102
Iowa City, IA 52245
(319) 337-5997

Gastroenterology Associates of Iowa City PC
Joseph Truszkowski
540 E Jefferson St
STE 102
Iowa City, IA 52245
(319) 337-5997

Unity Hospital
Tibor Fulop
1518 Mulberry Ave
Muscatine, IA 52761
(563) 264-9100

Covenant Clinic Waterloo
Victor Lawrinenko
2710 Saint Francis Dr
STE 510
Waterloo, IA 50702
(319) 272-5000

Suresh K Reddy & Ravi Mallavarapu MDs
Ravi Mallavarapu
125 East Tower Park Drive
United Medical Park
Waterloo, IA 50701
(319) 833-5990

Suresh K Reddy & Ravi Mallavarapu MDs
Suresh K Reddy
125 East Tower Park Drive
United Medical Park
Waterloo, IA 50701
(319) 833-5990

Covenant Health Clinic Cedar Falls
Victor R Mujica
516 Division St
STE STE 110
Cedar Falls, IA 50613
(319) 268-3550

Medical Associates West Campus
Brian W Covey
1500 Associates Dr
West Campus
Dubuque, IA 52002
(563) 584-4100

Medical Associates West Campus
Mark D Moglowsky
1500 Associates Dr
West Campus
Dubuque, IA 52002
(563) 584-4100

Dubuque Internal Medicine
Krishnaro V Gorrepati
1515 Delhi St
STE STE 100
Dubuque, IA 52001
(563) 557-9111

Dubuque Internal Medicine
Cynthia J Konz
1515 Delhi St
STE STE 100
Dubuque, IA 52001
(563) 557-9111

Dubuque Internal Medicine
Randall W Lengeling
1515 Delhi St
STE STE 100
Dubuque, IA 52001
(563) 557-9111

Gastroenterology Consultants
Rao V Movva
3400 Dexter Ct
STE 120
Davenport, IA 52807
(563) 359-9227

Gastroenterology Consultants
Linda J Tong
3400 Dexter Ct
STE 120
Davenport, IA 52807
(563) 359-9227

Gastroenterology Consultants
Mohammad Yaseen
3400 Dexter Ct
STE 120
Davenport, IA 52807
(563) 359-9227

Gastrointestinal Clinic of Quad Cities
Shashinath Chandrahasegowda
5041 Utica Ridge Rd
STE 100
Davenport, IA 52807
(563) 359-9696

Gastrointestinal Clinic of Quad Cities
Sreenivas Chinatalapani
5041 Utica Ridge Rd
STE 100
Davenport, IA 52807
(563) 359-9696

Gastrointestinal Clinic of Quad Cities
Bettaiah Gowda
5041 Utica Ridge Rd
STE 100
Davenport, IA 52807
(563) 359-9696

Gastrointestinal Clinic of Quad Cities
Bavikatte Shivakumar
5041 Utica Ridge Rd
STE 100
Davenport, IA 52807
(563) 359-9696

Gastroenterology Associates PC
William Davidson
2222 53rd Ave
Bettendorf, IA 52722
(563) 383-2686

Gastroenterology Associates PC
Young B Huh
2222 53rd Ave
Bettendorf, IA 52722
(563) 383-2686

Gastroenterology Associates PC
Anjana Kumar
2222 53rd Ave
Bettendorf, IA 52722
(563) 383-2686

Gastroenterology Associates PC
Erling Larson
2222 53rd Ave
Bettendorf, IA 52722
(563) 383-2686

Gastroenterology Associates PC
David S Pratt
2222 53rd Ave
Bettendorf, IA 52722
(563) 383-2686

Gastroenterology Associates PC
Richard L Weyman
2222 53rd Ave
Bettendorf, IA 52722
(563) 383-2686

Daniel J Peasley MD
Daniel J Peasley
1223 S Gear Ave
STE 201
West Burlington, IA 52655
(319) 758-9075

Quality Care Clinic
Ahmed E Elahmady
2745 Lincolnway
Clinton, IA 52732
(563) 242-3208

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

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Laxatives For Constipation

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
  • ...

Recommended Reading Related to Laxatives for Constipation

Melanosis Coli »

What is melanosis coli?

Melanosis coli is a condition usually associated with chronic laxative use in which dark pigment is deposited in the lamina propria (one of the lining layers) of the large intestine (colon). The pigment deposition results in a characteristic dark brown to black discoloration of the lining of the large intestine. This condition is sometimes called pseudomelanosis coli because the pigment deposits consist of a pigment known as lipofuscin and do not contain melanin as implied by the term "melanosis." Lipofuscin is a cellular pigment that forms when cells are destroyed, often called "wear and tear" pigment that can be found throughout the body.

The dark color of the intestinal lining may be uniform or patterned, and the discoloration may be slight or very pronounced. The intensity and pattern of the discoloration may even vary among different sites in the colon of a patient. The condition may also be reversed upon disc...

Emergency Contact for Cedar Rapids

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Cedar Rapids Hospitals *

St Luke's Hospital
1026 A Ave NE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
(319)369-7211

Mercy Medical Center Cedar Rapids
701 Tenth St SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52403
(319)398-6011

Virginia Gay Hospital
502 N Ninth Ave
Vinton, IA 52349
(319)472-6200

Iowa City VA Medical Center
601 Highway 6 W
Iowa City, IA 52246
(319)338-0581

Jones Regional Medical Center
1795 Highway 64 E
Anamosa, IA 52205
(319)462-6131

University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
200 Hawkins Dr
Iowa City, IA 52242
(319)356-1616

Mercy Hospital Iowa City
500 E Market St
Iowa City, IA 52245
(319)339-0300

Marengo Memorial Hospital
300 W May St
Marengo, IA 52301
(319)642-5543

Mental Health Institute
2277 Iowa Ave
Independence, IA 50644
(319)334-2583

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