Should Laxatives Be Used For Treatment of Constipation?

Constipation is an extremely common problem and there are a lot of potential causes of the condition. In truth, there are actually 3 different forms of constipation, including: Short term constipation, acute or severe constipation, and chronic or recurrent constipation. In some cases, chronic constipation may actually be signaling some bigger medical problem, such as:

Diabetes (millions of people are believed to be undiagnosed with diabetes but many of them have problems with constipation because the condition causes dehydration which is a very common cause of irregular bowel movements).

Stroke - Scientists estimate that fully one-third of all stroke victims do not even realize that they have had a stroke. However, constipation problems often follow a stroke because the mind has trouble coordinating the colon muscles properly.

Severe or chronic dehydration-water is essential to your health and a number of problems may occur when you fail to properly hydrate, including: Premature aging, acne, kidney, liver, and heart problems.

In most cases, however, constipation problems are temporary in nature and will typically go away on their own. However, many people seek treatment for constipation because the symptoms can cause moderate to severe discomfort and may include: abdominal pain; discomfort while passing stool; temporary hemorrhoids, and even some lower back pain, especially when having a bowel movement. Some typical options for treatment of constipation problems include:

. Enemas
. Colon Hydrotherapy
. Herbal Supplements
. Suppositories
. Laxatives

While each of the options listed above is a potential treatment for constipation, laxatives are by far the cure of choice for millions of people each year. The constipation problem is generally eliminated when you use a laxative because it initiates Peristaltic Action. This natural process normally causes the digested food to move from your stomach to you intestines and out of your rectum during a normal bowel movement.

Unfortunately, the big problem with laxatives is that they are typically made from stimulants. While a stimulant will initiate Peristaltic Action, it can have a lot of serious side effects that make it dangerous to your overall health, including:

. Constipation-that's right, laxatives made with stimulants will cause dehydration which is a huge cause of constipation problems. So, the cure could very well create a vicious cycle if used for a long period.

. Tremors-hands are especially prone to uncontrolled jitters while using stimulants

. Lack of Concentration-Stimulants tend to create disconnected thinking and make memory or complex tasks more difficult

. Addiction-Stimulants can be habit-forming and anorexia is a known eating disorder linked to laxative abuse. In time, treatment of constipation will be necessary when you don't take a laxative to have a normal bowel movement. This is because the normal Peristaltic Action will not initiate without a laxative after an extended use.

. Colon Muscle Damage-after prolonged use, the muscles in the colon
may become permanently damaged by laxative abuse

What is the best to use? A natural colon cleanser, preferably Oxygen based (doesn't give stomach aches some people experience from herbal type). The colon is the foundation to the rest of the body and needs to be working optimally.