Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesPreventionComplicationsWhen to Contact a Healthcare Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Prevention
Complications
When to Contact a Healthcare Provider
Your body endures a lot during surgery. It may not be surprising, then, to hear that people often have bouts ofconstipationafter surgery. Constipation occurs when stools are dry or hard and you have trouble passing them.
This article will discuss the causes of constipation after surgery, some complications of this problem, and how to prevent and treat constipation.
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There is no rule for how often you should have a bowel movement. Constipation occurs when your bowel movements are less frequent than what is normal for you.
What Does It Mean to Be Constipated?
What Causes Constipation After Surgery?
There are a few reasons why surgery patients are prone to constipation. The most common culprit is the prescription drugs given for pain relief.
Pain Medication
Opioidsare a powerful type of pain medication. These drugs are often givenafter surgery for paincontrol. Unfortunately,constipation is a well-known side effectof all opioids.
Opioids slow the movement of food through the intestinal tract. This gives the body more time to remove water which can lead to a drier than typical stool.
Opioids may also increase the amount of water absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract.
Finally, opioids may decrease the urge to have a bowel movement. This also allows more time for the body to remove water.
What You Can Do About Opioid-Induced Constipation
Food and Drink After Surgery
You may have been instructed not toeat or drink before surgery. After surgery, you may have been told to drink only small amounts. You may also have been told not to eat at all for a day or two.
Too little fluid and no food can work against your body’s normal routine of elimination.
Too little fluid in the body means less fluid in your stools. This can cause hard, dry bowel movements.
Food stimulates the digestive system and keeps things moving. If you aren’t eating, “food in, food out” doesn’t work as well.
Your food choices may have also changed after surgery. Even the food you ate in the hospital may be a major change from your normal diet. These kinds of changes can cause constipation.
Inactivity
Physical activity can help trigger a bowel movement. After surgery, you spend most of your time in bed recovering. This can slow down your bowels.
Anesthesia
Anesthesiaparalyzes your muscles. This stops movement in the intestinal tract. Until your intestines “wake up,” there is no movement of stool.
It can take your bowels and GI tract a few days to fully recover from the paralyzing effect of anesthesia and resulting post-surgery constipation.
Stool Changes, Constipation, and Diarrhea After Surgery
How to Relieve Constipation After Surgery
It’s much easier to prevent constipation than deal with it once it starts. These tips will help you stay regular and avoid discomfort as much as possible.
Medications
Your surgeon may prescribe astool softenerto take along with your pain medication. Be sure to follow your surgeon’s instructions even if you have never had constipation before.
It is also important not to use over-the-counter (OTC) treatments without first discussing them with your healthcare provider. There is a large variety of OTC medications for constipation and some may are not the right choice after surgery. For example, abowel stimulantmay be too hard on your body after surgery.
Common types of anti-constipation therapies include:
Top 4 Laxatives for Constipation: How to Use Them Safely and Effectively
Drink More Fluids
Drinking more fluids can help prevent constipation. Avoid caffeinated beverages. Instead, choose beverages like water and juice. These will keep you well hydrated and lower your risk of constipation.
Fluids can also help you recover after developing constipation.
Remember to take your pain medication with water. Keep drinking water throughout the day.
The recommended daily intake of water is typically about 64 ounces. This may not be enough when taking opioids.
Eat More Fiber
It is best to eat fruits and vegetables in as close to their natural state as possible. A whole orange, for example, provides more fiber than pulp-free orange juice.
You can also add fiber to your diet withfiber supplements. Remember, though, that adding supplemental fiber can increase constipation if you’re not drinking enough water.
Avoid foods known to cause constipation. Cheese, for example, can cause constipation. So can a diet with lots of meat and few fruits and vegetables.
10 Foods That Help You Poop and Ease Constipation
Regular Meals and Snacks
Your body naturally eliminates stool when more food is introduced. This is why many people have a bowel movement after breakfast. Food goes in, so stool must go out. This is also why small, frequent meals can help you have regular bowel movements.
Physical Activity
Physical activity can decrease the risk of constipation. This can be something as simple as walking. It is important, though, to follow your surgeon’s instructions if you have limits on exercise.
Dietary Supplements
Your healthcare provider may recommend a fiber supplement, such as Citrucel, FiberCon, or Metamucil to treat constipation.Be sure to drink plenty of water when taking a fiber supplement to avoid worsening constipation.
Complications of Constipation
You will feel more comfortable if you can avoid post-surgical constipation. There are also other reasons why you will want to prevent it.
Constipation can progress toimpaction. This occurs when the stool is so hard and dry that you cannot have a bowel movement.
When this happens, the hardened stool must be removed in another way, such as:
Severe, prolonged constipation can cause permanent damage. Sometimes, segments of the intestine must be removed.
This often means the patient will need acolostomy. With this procedure, a surgeon creates an opening in the abdomen that allows stool to pass into a collection device.
Constipation and impaction can lead to straining. Straining to force a bowel movement can cause other problems, such as:
In surgery patients, straining can cause stress onincisions(the cut the surgeon made during the procedure).
Straining may stress both internal and external incisions. In extreme cases, it cancause the incisions to open.
Open heart surgerypatients can be at particular risk. For these patients, straining to have a bowel movement may cause heart rhythm changes.
When Is Constipation Considered an Emergency?
Summary
Constipation occurs when you have fewer bowel movements than what is normal for you. It is common after surgery.
Pain medication, what you eat and drink, inactivity, and anesthesia can all contribute to post-surgery constipation.
It is best to avoid developing constipation since it can lead to impaction. This is when your stool is so hard that you cannot pass it. Straining can also lead to problems like unusual heart rhythms and hemorrhoids.
If you do develop constipation, increase your fluid intake and eat more fiber. Your doctor can recommend medications that may also help.
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.HSS.Managing constipation after surgery.Aurilio C, Caterina M, Pota V, Sansone P.Opioid induced constipation.Constipation - Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment. doi:10.5772/28602.Keller D, Stein S.Facilitating return of bowel function after colorectal surgery: alvimopan and gum chewing.Clinics in Colon and Rectal Surgery. 2013;26(03):186-190.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for constipation.Obokhare I.Fecal impaction: a cause for concern?Clin Colon Rectal Surg. 2012;25(01):053-8. doi:10.1055/s-0032-1301760Additional ReadingTrads M, Pedersen PU.Constipation and defecation pattern the first 30 days after hip fracture.Int J Nurs Pract. 2015;21(5):598-604. doi:10.1111/ijn.12312
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.HSS.Managing constipation after surgery.Aurilio C, Caterina M, Pota V, Sansone P.Opioid induced constipation.Constipation - Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment. doi:10.5772/28602.Keller D, Stein S.Facilitating return of bowel function after colorectal surgery: alvimopan and gum chewing.Clinics in Colon and Rectal Surgery. 2013;26(03):186-190.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for constipation.Obokhare I.Fecal impaction: a cause for concern?Clin Colon Rectal Surg. 2012;25(01):053-8. doi:10.1055/s-0032-1301760Additional ReadingTrads M, Pedersen PU.Constipation and defecation pattern the first 30 days after hip fracture.Int J Nurs Pract. 2015;21(5):598-604. doi:10.1111/ijn.12312
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
HSS.Managing constipation after surgery.Aurilio C, Caterina M, Pota V, Sansone P.Opioid induced constipation.Constipation - Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment. doi:10.5772/28602.Keller D, Stein S.Facilitating return of bowel function after colorectal surgery: alvimopan and gum chewing.Clinics in Colon and Rectal Surgery. 2013;26(03):186-190.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for constipation.Obokhare I.Fecal impaction: a cause for concern?Clin Colon Rectal Surg. 2012;25(01):053-8. doi:10.1055/s-0032-1301760
HSS.Managing constipation after surgery.
Aurilio C, Caterina M, Pota V, Sansone P.Opioid induced constipation.Constipation - Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment. doi:10.5772/28602.
Keller D, Stein S.Facilitating return of bowel function after colorectal surgery: alvimopan and gum chewing.Clinics in Colon and Rectal Surgery. 2013;26(03):186-190.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for constipation.
Obokhare I.Fecal impaction: a cause for concern?Clin Colon Rectal Surg. 2012;25(01):053-8. doi:10.1055/s-0032-1301760
Trads M, Pedersen PU.Constipation and defecation pattern the first 30 days after hip fracture.Int J Nurs Pract. 2015;21(5):598-604. doi:10.1111/ijn.12312
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