4 Tips to Manage Your Constipation
I only recommend products I have used or would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post contains certain affiliate links or discount codes that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission to support the OncoPelvic PT mission. As an Amazon Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Are you straining during bowel movements (pooping)? Not feeling completely empty? If so, you’re not alone! About 4 million people in the U.S. experience constipation.
Luckily, there are some easy things you can do to help!
Colonic massage
A colonic massage is a gentle way to help stimulate the colon. For many people, this massage stimulates a bowel movement within 30-60 minutes. The key to success is doing it consistently each morning.
Lie down and place both hands at your right lower abdomen just above the hip bone. Slowly massage clockwise in small circles up to just below the ribs, then across to the left ribs, and finally down to the left hip bone. Repeat this 10 times. Take your time with this massage, move slowly, and perform with deep breathing for the best results.
Keep up your fiber and water intake
Stool needs lots of water to stay soft. If you’re not drinking a lot of water and drinking other festive drinks besides water, your stool can get dehydrated and hard. Keep a glass or bottle of water handy while you travel and while you’re at holiday gatherings to stay hydrated. Not sure how much water you should drink? Start with these tips:
In general, if you’re only drinking when you’re thirsty, then you’re already dehydrated
Check the color of your pee. It should be a light pale yellow. If it’s dark yellow, you’re not getting enough water. On the flip side, if your urine is completely clear (and you’re going to the bathroom very frequently), you may be drinking too much water.
Try drinking half of your body weight of fluid in ounces; about 2/3 of that should be water. Monitor how you feel. If you feel waterlogged, decrease your water a little bit at a time.
Don’t forget that water-rich foods like fruits (especially melons), vegetables, and soups or broths add to your total fluid intake!
Get moving
Physical activity can help stimulate the colon. Gentle movements like yoga, stretching, and walking in the morning can help get things moving. Two of my favorite stretches to do in the morning are lower trunk rotation and cat-cow:
Lower trunk rotation: Lie on your back with your knees bent. Bring your knees and feet together. Slowly drop your knees to one side as you exhale. Next, breathe in as you bring your knees back up to the midline starting position. Slowly drop your knees as you exhale to the other side. Repeat this 10 times.
Cat-Cow: Position yourself on your hands and knees (or sitting if you have wrist or knee trouble). Breathe in as you arch your back for a count of 4, then round your back as you breathe out for a count of 4. Repeat this 10 times.
*Note: Make sure you move slowly and stop if you have any pain with these exercises.
Sit correctly on the toilet
Yes, there is an optimal way for people to sit on the toilet! Make sure you are sitting on the toilet with your feet flat on the ground or a step stool. Lean forward comfortably resting your arms on your thighs. Breathe as you have a bowel movement - don’t strain!
I love using and recommending the Squatty Potty (picture left), which is a stool that you put your feet on to have an easier bowel movement. The Squatty Potty brings your knees above your hips which relaxes the muscle and rectum to allow stool to pass through easier. No more straining! Most people need the 7” stool, but if you have a high toilet or use an elevated commode, try the 9”. Because of how the stool is designed, you can push it back against the toilet so you don’t trip over it. You can get it directly from through Squatty Potty or through Amazon.
If you have trouble with constipation, talk with your medical provider to determine what’s causing it. Many people with constipation have trouble relaxing their pelvic floor muscles, making people have to strain or making it hard to empty completely. If this is the case, you would benefit from working with a pelvic health physical therapist, who can give you strategies to improve your constipation and address your pelvic floor muscle dysfunction. Learn more about pelvic health physical therapy and where to find one near you at my blog post, “Pelvic Health Physical Therapy 101”.
