John P. Cunha, DO, is a U.S. board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. Dr. Cunha's educational background includes a BS in Biology from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and a DO from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in Kansas City, MO. He completed residency training in Emergency Medicine at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Jay W. Marks, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
The active ingredients in saline laxatives are mostly magnesium, sulfate, citrate, and phosphate ions. These ions draw water into the intestines. The additional water softens the stool, increases pressure within the intestines, and increases intestinal contractions resulting in the discharge of softer stool. Fleet Phospho-Soda, milk of magnesia, and magnesium citrate are examples of saline laxatives.
Oral doses of saline laxatives should be taken with one
to two
glasses of water. The onset of bowel response is usually
1/2 to 3 hours after consuming the laxative. Small doses are
sometimes
recommended for the treatment of occasional constipation,
while
larger doses can produce complete evacuation of the
intestine.
Complete cleansing of the bowel is useful in preparing for
colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, and barium enema.
The active ingredients in osmotic-type laxatives such as GoLYTELY, GlycoLax, and MiraLax is polyethylene glycol (PEG). These work by holding water in the stool to soften the stool and increasing the number of bowel movements. Osmotic-type laxatives are often used to cleanse the bowel prior to colonoscopies or colon surgery.
Precautions
Since there may be some absorption of the active ingredients from the intestines into the blood circulation, saline laxatives should not be used in certain
individuals. Individuals with impaired kidney function should not use laxatives containing magnesium or phosphate salts. Excess accumulation of magnesium and phosphate in the blood of these
individuals can lead to toxicity. Those who need to limit their sodium intake, such as those with congestive heart failure, kidney disease, and high blood pressure, should not use laxatives that contain sodium.
Side effects of osmotic-type laxatives include nausea, abdominal cramping, or
gas. People who have a history of abdominal surgery or bowel obstruction
should consult their doctor before using this medication. Caution is advised
when using this drug in the elderly because they may be more sensitive to its
side effects, especially diarrhea.
Hemorrhoid is an enlarged vein in the walls of the anus and sometimes around the
rectum, usually caused by untreated constipation, but occasionally associated
with chronic diarrhea. If untreated, hemorrhoids can
worsen, protruding from the anus. Also known as piles.
Constipation is defined medically as fewer than three stools per week and severe constipation as less than one stool per week. Constipation usually is caused by the slow movement of stool through the colon. There are many causes of constipation including medications, poor bowel habits, low fiber diets, abuse of laxatives, hormonal disorders, and diseases primarily of other parts of the body that also affect the colon.
Digestion is the complex process of turning food you eat into the energy you need to survive. The digestive process also involves creating waste to be eliminated, and is made of a series of muscles that coordinate the movement of food.
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