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Laxatives For Constipation Center - Sioux Falls, SD

Sioux Falls 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 Sioux Falls *

Sanford Clinic Gastroenterology
Jorge A Gilbert
1201 S Euclid Ave
STE 104
Sioux Falls, SD 57105
(605) 328-8500

Sanford Clinic Gastroenterology
Christopher M Hurley
1201 S Euclid Ave
STE 104
Sioux Falls, SD 57105
(605) 328-8500

Gastroenterology
Robert D Meyer
1200 S Euclid Ave
STE 210
Sioux Falls, SD 57105
(605) 335-1500

Sanford Clinic Gastroenterology
Jeffrey A Murray
1201 S Euclid Ave
STE 104
Sioux Falls, SD 57105
(605) 328-8500

Sanford Clinic Gastroenterology
JoAnn E Ormand
1201 S Euclid Ave
STE 104
Sioux Falls, SD 57105
(605) 328-8500

Sanford Clinic Gastroenterology
Tim M Ridgway
1201 S Euclid Ave
STE 104
Sioux Falls, SD 57105
(605) 328-8500

Sanford Clinic Gastroenterology
Troy D Schmidt
1201 S Euclid Ave
STE 104
Sioux Falls, SD 57105
(605) 328-8500

Sanford Clinic Gastroenterology
Philip E Tanner
1201 S Euclid Ave
STE 104
Sioux Falls, SD 57105
(605) 328-8500

Sioux Falls Gastroenterology
John D Barker
1001 E 21st St
STE 501
Sioux Falls, SD 57105
(605) 322-8630

Sioux Falls Gastroenterology
Shamoun Dany
1001 E 21st St
STE 501
Sioux Falls, SD 57105
(605) 322-8630

Midwest Medical Center
Chandar Singaram
1905 W 57th St
STE 1
Sioux Falls, SD 57108
(605) 310-2000

Yankton Medical Clinic
Steve Gutnik
1104 W 8th St
Yankton, SD 57078
(605) 665-7841

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

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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 Sioux Falls

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Sioux Falls Hospitals *

Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center
800 E 21st St
Sioux Falls, SD 57117
(605)322-8000

Select Specialty Hospital Sioux Falls
800 E 21st St
Sioux Falls, SD 57105
(605)322-3500

Sioux Falls VA Medical Center
2501 W 22nd St
Sioux Falls, SD 57105
(605)336-3230

Children's Care Hospital & School
2501 W 26th St
Sioux Falls, SD 57105
(605)782-2300

Sanford USD Medical Center
1305 W 18th St
Sioux Falls, SD 57105
(605)333-1000

Heart Hospital of South Dakota
4500 W 69th St
Sioux Falls, SD 57108
(605)977-7000

Dells Area Health Center
909 N Iowa St
Dell Rapids, SD 57022
(605)428-5431

Canton-Inwood Memorial Hospital
440 N Hiawatha Dr
Canton, SD 57013
(605)987-2621

Sanford Hospital Luverne
1600 N Kniss Ave
Luverne, MN 56156
(507)283-2321

Merrill Pioneer Community Hospital
801 S Greene St
Rock Rapids, IA 51246
(712)472-2591

Pioneer Memorial Hospital
315 N Washington St
Viborg, SD 57070
(605)326-5161

Hegg Memorial Health Center
1202 21st Ave
Rock Valley, IA 51247
(712)476-8000

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