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Laxatives For Constipation Center - Pasco, WA

Pasco 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 Pasco *

John M Roach MD
John M Roach
811 S Auburn St
Kennewick, WA 99336
(509) 586-9187

Tri Cities Endoscopy Center
Sittilerk Trikalsaransukh
7114 W Hood Pl
Kennewick, WA 99336
(509) 734-4885

Tri Cities Endoscopy Center
Verapan Vongthavaravat
7114 W Hood Pl
Kennewick, WA 99336
(509) 734-4885

Columbia River Gastroenterology
Peter Donald Maher
602 N Colorado St
STE D
Kennewick, WA 99336
(509) 735-8600

Suresh Phillip MD
Suresh Philip
7525 W Deschutes Pl
STE 1A
Kennewick, WA 99336
(509) 737-8766

Hoyeol Yang MD
Hoyeol Yang
98 Columbia Point Dr
Richland, WA 99352
(509) 946-3636

Tri Cities Digestive Health
Somprak Boonpongmanee
780 Swift Blvd
STE 280
Richland, WA 99352
(509) 946-9747

St Mary's Physicians Group
James E Harri
301 W Poplar St
STE 210
Walla Walla, WA 99362
(509) 522-5825

Blue Mountain Medical Group
Kyongchol Kim
1111 S 2nd Ave
Walla Walla, WA 99362
(509) 522-0100

Walla Walla Clinic
Lawrence S Zawatzky
55 W Tietan St
Main Clinic
Walla Walla, WA 99362
(509) 525-3720

Pasco, Washington

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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 Pasco

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Pasco Hospitals *

Lourdes Medical Center
520 N 4th Ave
Pasco, WA 99301
(509)547-7704

Kennewick General Hospital
900 S Auburn St
Kennewick, WA 99336
(509)586-6111

Kadlec Medical Center
888 Swift Blvd
Richland, WA 99352
(509)946-4611

Good Shepherd Medical Center
610 NW 11th St
Hermiston, OR 97838
(541)667-3400

Prosser Memorial Hospital
723 Memorial St
Prosser, WA 99350
(509)786-2222

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