Which soap to choose for constipation: effect on the intestines
Previously, the use of soap for problematic bowel movements was considered a completely safe and harmless method of treatment. It was enough to insert a piece of soap into the anus for constipation, and emptying did not take long to occur. However, today doctors have questioned such traditional medicine.
The essence of soap therapy is direct contact with the walls and mucous membrane of the lower intestines. Its action is similar to that of irritant laxatives. Once inside, soap stimulates the smooth muscles of the rectum and peristalsis, after which it is excreted from the body along with feces, making them softer and more slippery.
When choosing soap to eliminate intestinal dysfunction, you should carefully study its composition. Preference should be given exclusively to soaps with natural composition. Laundry soap for constipation is considered the most effective. It quickly activates motor skills and does not cause an allergic reaction or inflammation.
You should not use cream soap and tar to restore bowel movements. These cosmetics can cause the mucous membrane to dry out and cause anal fissures.
We recommend that you read the article “No-spa for constipation.”
A bar of soap for constipation in a newborn baby
Many grandmothers recommend that young parents use soap candles to combat constipation in newborns. Pediatricians say that laxatives should be used very carefully, since they are more likely to harm the child. This is especially true for children under one year old.
If you decide to try this option, it is better to purchase a hypoallergenic product for children; do not use laundry soap.
You need to cut a piece as thick as a match. Smooth out the rough edges, place the baby on his side and insert the resulting product into the anus. You cannot leave soap in the aisle; a few strokes are enough. This option can only be used in emergency cases, rarely.
How to use soap for constipation
Treatment of difficult bowel movements with soap should be carried out only with the permission of a doctor, who will rule out possible contraindications for such treatment and give his recommendations. It is usually prescribed in the absence of serious pathological conditions that provoke constipation, and in the case of unadvanced abstipation.
There are two main ways to use soap to activate intestinal function:
- insert soap into the anus for constipation;
- introduce a soap solution into the intestines using an enema.
In the first method, you need to make something like a rectal suppository
. To do this, you need to cut it into pieces and give one of them an elongated shape. The thickness of the candle should be no more than a centimeter in diameter, and the length should be about 2 cm. It is also important to take care that the piece is smooth so that its sharp edges do not damage the walls of the small intestine and anus.
The prepared suppository is carefully inserted into the anus; it is first slightly moistened with warm water (optional). Afterwards, wait about 25–30 minutes. For constipation, you need to insert a piece of soap as deep as possible, to the length of an outstretched finger.
As for the enema, it is considered a more harmless method than suppositories. This is due to the fact that upon contact with water, the alkali dissolves and the intestinal walls are not damaged.
It is best to make a soap solution from laundry or baby soap. They contain the least amount of various additives. If an enema is given to a child, then exclusive baby soap is used.
Soap candle for adults and children
A candle is one of the simplest ways to effectively cleanse the intestines in adults and children. To make it you will need a sharp knife. Carefully cut a small piece, polish it until it is round and has no sharp parts. After this, the candle is inserted into the anus.
There are different manufacturing options:
- First. The resulting candle will act quickly and aggressively. To make it, take 10 g of household shavings and 3 cm of woolen thread. The shavings are heated in the palm of your hand and rolled into a cylinder with rounded edges around the thread. The cylinder should have a diameter of about 5 mm and a length of 1.5 cm. The end of the thread should come out from both ends of the candle. The resulting product is inserted into the anus not too deeply. To avoid getting a chemical burn, after 5 minutes you need to pull it out by pulling the thread. The method is not used for children.
- Relaxing options. You will need 50 g of household liquid, 10 g of petroleum jelly, 100 ml of water, and a small silicone baking dish. Combine all ingredients and cook for 2 hours in a water bath. Pour the warm mixture into the mold and place it on the top shelf of the refrigerator. When the mixture becomes hard, make cylinders. The resulting candles do not need to be removed by force.
When should you not use soap for constipation?
It is recommended to use soap only in cases in which a person is confident that the problem with bowel movements is not due to any serious illness. To the question is it possible to use soap for constipation in case of dysbacteriosis
or if there is a history of peptic ulcer disease, the answer is no. It perfectly replaces laxatives and quickly restores stool, but also significantly aggravates the development of this kind of pathological conditions.
In addition, you should not restore bowel movements with soap in case of the following symptoms:
- constipation is chronic;
- with complete absence of stool for more than three days;
- if constipation is accompanied by fever
, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain; - with irritable bowel syndrome;
- constipation is accompanied by increased gas formation;
- gastrointestinal ulcers.
It is better not to use laundry soap for constipation if you have hemorrhoids and anal fissures. You should also avoid soap therapy during pregnancy, as such treatment can cause serious complications. There are exceptions when pregnant women, on the contrary, are prescribed soap to combat bad stool, which is associated with contraindications to the use of laxatives, but in this case it is important to follow all the doctor’s recommendations.
We recommend that you read the article “Pressure with constipation.”
Contraindications
It is possible to use soap or a soap solution to cleanse the intestines if you are sure about the causes of constipation. Only the absence of a serious illness with a symptom in the form of absence of bowel movements allows the procedure to be used.
There is no answer to the question about using soap for dysbiosis or ulcers. The drug has a laxative effect, cleanses the intestines, but has side effects and aggravates these diagnosed diseases.
Contraindications for the use of soap or soap solution for constipation:
- Lack of bowel movement is chronic. This type of constipation is caused by serious disorders of the internal digestive organs. Soap will not solve the main problem, but will make the situation worse.
- There was no bowel movement for 3 days. As a result of long-term presence of food residues in the canal, putrefactive processes occur. The toxins released are absorbed into the bloodstream and distributed throughout the body's systems. Intoxication occurs.
- Stool occurs accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Body temperature rises, pain appears. Provoking factors are intestinal infections. The fight against them should be carried out with medications and under the supervision of a doctor.
- Diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome. Discomfort is caused by excessive motor activity in one of the sections of the digestive tract.
- Abdominal bloating is observed. Excessive gas formation often accompanies constipation. The bolus of food stagnates, the microorganisms that process it produce gases during their vital activity, which increases the content of air bubbles in the channel.
- Peptic ulcer of the stomach, duodenum.
- Hemorrhoids, the presence of fissures in the anus. In this case, it is not recommended to use laundry soap.
- Pregnancy is also a contraindication to the use of soap therapy. This can lead to complications.
The dangers of treating bad stool with soap
On the one hand, using soap does have a positive effect, causing bowel movements shortly after its use. Moreover, unlike most laxatives, soap for constipation in adults is not addictive and has no side effects. If soap is used correctly, it will not cause any negative effects.
On the other hand, therapy for fecal stagnation
soap also has its negative aspects. Thus, most soaps contain a large amount of alkali, which can cause a chemical burn of the rectum or cause ulcers. In addition, treatment with soap can result in lipid metabolism disorders and inflammation.
With the uncontrolled use of soap for constipation as a laxative, the development of tenesmus is inevitable - a false painful urge to defecate. This is due to the fact that alkali corrodes the intestinal mucosa, the intramural nerve plexuses remain unprotected and are damaged, which leads to malfunctions in its functioning. Irritation of the nerve plexus occurs especially often when using toilet soap, which contains fragrances and other synthetic additives.
Enema
This medical instrument has been used to cleanse the intestines since ancient times.
In this case, the sucking of water may differ. A soap solution allows you to achieve the desired effect with a minimum volume of liquid. This makes it possible to reduce the required volume of infused liquid. To prepare the solution, you need to take 20 g of baby soap and grate it. Dissolve the shavings in 50 ml of warm water and draw the liquid into a syringe. Lubricate the tip of the latter with oil or Vaseline. All that remains is to insert it into the anus and gradually pour in the solution while lying on your side.
You can make a solution by adding a decoction of chamomile, nettle, and flax oil. This composition will not only cleanse, but also relieve inflammation and lead to healing of damage. Suitable for intestinal obstruction in older people.
Relieving constipation with soap for children
develop quite often, especially when it comes to infants. Difficulties with bowel movements are always accompanied by bloating and abdominal pain, so treatment should begin as early as possible.
whether soap can be used for constipation in young children. After all, it is absolutely safe if it is used to treat isolated cases of intestinal stagnation associated with poor nutrition and non-compliance with the drinking regime. The same applies to constipation that occurs due to taking certain medications. But if we are talking about children's health, then it is better to refrain from such self-medication.
The intestinal mucosa in newborns is more vulnerable than in adult children. Any attempt to force a bowel movement using a bar of soap will cause a chemical burn, which will subsequently develop into an ulcer.
Soap for constipation should not be used in a child if fecal impaction or intestinal obstruction is suspected. If the baby has congenital defects of the lower intestines, then the use of soap is also prohibited.
We recommend that you read the article “What to do if it hurts to poop.”
Reviews
Many pregnant women use this remedy, considering it safe for their health and for the fetus. In practice, in most cases it was possible to achieve the desired effect. Some note that this remedy does not cause discomfort and can be used for different periods.
The opinions of young parents are divided. Some believe that it is better to give natural laxatives designed for babies rather than using this approach. Others actively use the method even for newborns. Their soap almost immediately leads to the desired effect.
