Treating Constipation with Laxatives: Dependency & Safety in Adults & Children

Are your kids still having accidents at night? Are they peeing their pants at school? Do they feel embarrassed? Are they missing out on social activities? Urinary incontinence could be normal for their age but there does come a time when children should be dry during both the day and night.

There can be many reasons why someone has abdominal pain. Internal organs, such as your small intestine, colon, stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, uterus or ovaries, could be causing your symptoms.

I recently gave birth to my 1st child and was blown away that no one actually prepared me for the 2nd stage of labor, aka pushing phase, 10 cm dilation to birth. My husband and I went to several classes to prepare us for our newborn. During these classes they discussed the stages of labor, what tools they could use during labor, reasons for a c-section, joys and challenges of pregnancy, and how to breathe during the first stage of labor to make it through contractions. When I actually went through my 2nd stage of labor, I realized no one ever discussed how to push and breathe during this phase.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March, I have had more time to practice and critique my I Love You (ILU) massage technique on my 16-month old son, who has been dealing with constipation since he started eating solid foods. I have found there are a few things you really need to do when doing the ILU massage. But before we dive deep into the mechanics, how does the ILU massage technique work?

Have you ever heard of the Squatty Potty? Advertised as the Original Bathroom Toilet Stool, the Squatty Potty was invented in 2010 by the Edwards family. After dealing with constipation themselves, they were told to try squatting to pass their bowels. This gave them the idea of the Squatty Potty. Now you are probably wondering: why would squatting help with passing stools? Let’s get an understanding of how digestion and bowel mechanics work.

Do you leak stool with walking, running, or other physical activities? Do you have urgency of your stool and can’t make it to the toilet in time? Do you have to wear disposable underwear because you leak fecal matter?‍ As a pelvic health physical therapist, I see this quite a bit in my practice and everyone always asks the single question: “Why?!!!”

I’m sure there are a lot of people who can relate to the feeling of constipation. Tummy distended and full; pain in the stomach; a sensation you cannot completely empty your rectum; back pain –– all are symptoms of constipation. We probably have been told to increase our fiber intake and doing so will help loosen our stools. While this is true, there are several things you should know about what type of fiber and how much you should be consuming if you’re trying to improve constipation. 

Ever since I have been treating constipation and bowel dysfunction as a pelvic health physical therapist, I’ve had many clients ask if the laxative they are taking is safe and if they should continue using it, or if they can start their child on a laxative such as Miralax. Many of my clients are afraid they might become dependent and will always have to be on it for their bowels to function. Or they have been told to stop taking it because it is not safe. To have a better understanding of the risk of dependency on a laxative and its safety, let’s first discuss what it actually is, how it works, its side effects, precautions, why you would use it, and the current research on kids taking it.

Have you been told you have a diastasis recti? Have you tried some DIY treatments but haven't been able to improve it? As a pelvic health physical therapist, there are several professional treatment options that I recommend: physical therapy, laser therapy, functional neurology, gut health, hypnosis, and/or abdominoplasty surgery (if necessary).

Picture this: a clandestine world of pelvic pain, shrouded in secrecy and often deemed the domain of women. But wait, men also find themselves entangled in this web of discomfort. It's time to bust open the pelvic pain myth and bring pelvic floor physical therapy to the center stage! So grab your seat and get ready for a hilarious journey as we unravel the comic complexities of male pelvic pain and discover how pelvic floor PT can save the day.

I wrote this blog after hosting a Zoom call with various practitioners in the Denver area. The topic of discussion was how to manage TMJ Dysfunction. By combining some of the strategies listed below, you can take significant steps towards alleviating TMJ/TMD symptoms and regaining comfort in your daily life.

Fecal incontinence is often considered a taboo topic, even though it is a condition that affects millions of people worldwide. This topic can be a source of embarrassment, social isolation, and decreased quality of life. But fear not. For in this blog, we are going to explore the concept of balloon training for fecal incontinence and sprinkle in a little humor, because sometimes laughter really is the best medicine.