Causes of constipation in the elderly and solutions

The main causes of constipation in the elderly include physiological function degradation, dietary habits change, lack of exercise, drug side effects, psychological factors, etc. It can be alleviated by adjusting diet, moderate exercise, regular defecation, drug treatment, etc. With the increase of age, the intestinal peristalsis function of the elderly gradually weakens, and the intestinal muscle contraction ability decreases, resulting in the stool staying in the intestinal tract for too long, and the water is excessively absorbed, thus causing constipation. 2. Changes in eating habits The elderly may change their eating habits due to tooth loss, weakened digestive function, etc., reducing the intake of dietary fiber and increasing the proportion of fine foods, which are not conducive to intestinal motility and fecal excretion. 3. Lack of exercise elderly due to physical decline, mobility and other reasons, the amount of exercise is relatively reduced, which will affect the intestinal motility function, increase the risk of constipation. 4. Side effects of drugs Elderly people often need to take a variety of drugs, such as antihypertensive drugs, antidepressants, etc., these drugs sometimes cause constipation as a side effect. 5. Psychological factors Anxiety, depression and other negative emotions may also affect the normal function of the intestine, leading to constipation. II. Solution 1. Adjust diet to increase dietary fiber intake, such as eating more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, etc. These foods help increase stool volume and promote intestinal motility. At the same time, maintain adequate water intake, drink at least 8 cups of water a day, help soften feces, easy to excrete. 2. Moderate exercise to encourage the elderly to carry out moderate exercise, such as walking, tai chi, yoga, etc., these exercises can promote intestinal motility, improve constipation. For the elderly with mobility difficulties, you can carry out some simple bed exercises or abdominal massage. 3. Regular defecation helps the elderly to establish the habit of regular defecation. Even if there is no intention to defecate, try to go to the toilet to form conditioned reflexes and promote defecation. 4. Drug treatment Under the guidance of a doctor, some laxatives or emollients can be used to relieve constipation symptoms. However, it should be noted that long-term use of drugs may produce dependence or side effects, so it should be used with caution.