Skip to content

Top Navigation

Health.com Health.com
  • Health Conditions A-Z
  • News
  • Coronavirus
  • Diet & Nutrition
  • Fitness
  • Beauty
  • Mind & Body
  • Lifestyle
  • Weight Loss
  • Newsletter
  • Promo

Profile Menu

Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
My Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Health.com

Health.com Health.com
  • Explore

    Explore

    • Is Your Doctor Gaslighting You? Here's What to Do

      Is Your Doctor Gaslighting You? Here's What to Do

      How to handle a physician who doubts or dismisses your symptoms. Read More
    • 9 Signs It's More Serious Than the Common Cold

      9 Signs It's More Serious Than the Common Cold

      Doctors explain how to tell if you have a head cold or something more serious that requires medical attention, such as the flu, strep throat, meningitis, or mono. Read More
    • How Your Period Changes During Your 20s, 30s, and 40s

      How Your Period Changes During Your 20s, 30s, and 40s

      From easier cramps to a heavier flow, here's a guide on what to expect decade by decade. Read More
  • Health Conditions A-Z

    Health Conditions A-Z

    See All Health Conditions A-Z
    12 Anxiety Symptoms That Might Point to a Disorder

    12 Anxiety Symptoms That Might Point to a Disorder

    The symptoms of anxiety can be hard to detect. Here are the ones you need to pay attention to, and how to know if you may have an anxiety disorder.
    • Allergies
    • Anxiety
    • Birth Control
    • Breast Cancer
    • Coronavirus
    • Chronic Pain
    • Cold, Flu, and Sinus
    • Depression
    • Digestive Health
    • Diabetes (Type 2)
    • Eczema
    • Eye Health
    • Fibromyalgia
    • Heart Disease
    • Headaches and Migraines
    • Oral Health
    • Pregnancy
    • Psoriasis
    • Sexual Health
    • Skin Conditions
    • Sleep
    • Thyroid
  • News

    News

    See All News
    Shannen Doherty Reveals Stage 4 Breast Cancer Diagnosis—Here's What It Means

    Shannen Doherty Reveals Stage 4 Breast Cancer Diagnosis—Here's What It Means

    "I'm petrified," the actress said when she shared the news that her breast cancer came back. Here's why a stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis can be so frightening.
    • Celebrities
  • Coronavirus
  • Diet & Nutrition

    Diet & Nutrition

    The Best (and Worst) Diets of 2020, According to Experts

    The Best (and Worst) Diets of 2020, According to Experts

    FYI: The keto diet is not number one.
    • Food
    • Nutrition
    • Vitamins and Supplements
    • Groceries
    • Restaurants
    • Diets
    • Keto Diet
    • Mediterranean Diet
    • Whole30
    • Recipes
  • Fitness

    Fitness

    See All Fitness
    10 Moves for a Cardio Workout at Home—No Equipment Required

    10 Moves for a Cardio Workout at Home—No Equipment Required

    Stay in your living room and still spike your heart rate.
    • Cardio Workouts
    • Strength Training
    • Yoga
    • Ab Workouts
    • Arm Workouts
    • Leg Workouts
    • Butt Workouts
    • Fitness Gear
  • Beauty

    Beauty

    See All Beauty
    These 13 Women Prove Every Body Is a Bikini Body

    These 13 Women Prove Every Body Is a Bikini Body

    We're loving their inspirational, body-positive messages.
    • Skincare
    • Makeup
    • Hair
    • Nails
  • Mind & Body

    Mind & Body

    See All Mind & Body
    Why Do People Lie? We Asked an Expert

    Why Do People Lie? We Asked an Expert

    Here's the truth about lying.
    • Body Positivity
    • Self-Care
    • Misdiagnosed
    • Invisible Illness
    • LGBTQ+ Health
    • Right to Care: Health Diversity and Inclusion
    • Resolution Reboot
    • Wellness Warriors
  • Lifestyle

    Lifestyle

    20 Things You Should Throw Away for Better Health

    20 Things You Should Throw Away for Better Health

    Clean out expired products and clutter to make way for a healthier you.
    • Healthy Home
    • Pets
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Style
    • Holidays
    • Sex
    • Gifts
    • Money
    • Tech
    • Medicare
    • Best Life Now
    • Health Reviews
  • Weight Loss
  • Newsletter
  • Promo

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
My Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

LIVE
  1. HomeChevron Right
  2. Digestive HealthChevron Right
  3. 9 Natural Remedies to Try When You Can't Poop

9 Natural Remedies to Try When You Can't Poop

By Karen Pallarito
March 29, 2018
Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.
Skip gallery slides
Save Pin
Senna laxative tablets in open silver foil wrap senokot dulcolax bisacodyl constipation
Credit: UniversalImagesGroup/Getty Images
These simple diet tips and lifestyle tweaks can bring much-needed constipation relief.
Start Slideshow

1 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

What is constipation?

Trouble pooping? Anyone can have difficulty from time to time, and for some people it can be a chronic issue. But many times all it takes are some simple dietary and lifestyle adjustments (and maybe a run to the medication or supplement aisle of your pharmacy) for welcome constipation relief.

“Some of it is going back to the basics,” such as boosting water and fiber intake to improve fecal output, explains Michael Komar, MD, director of the division of gastroenterology at Geisinger in Danville, Pennsylvania.

Constipation can mean different things to different people, Dr. Komar observes. To some folks, it’s straining to have a bowel movement, and to others, it’s passing hard, lumpy stools. Some people have the feeling of incomplete evacuation of stool, or they have fewer than three bowel movements in a week. Each problem can be a symptom of constipation.

RELATED: 13 Surprising Causes of Constipation

What causes constipation really varies from person to person. But knowing why you can’t empty your bowels may help you find a constipation treatment that works. (If you’re dealing with an infant or child’s constipation, consult your pediatrician for appropriate treatment.)

Some people have difficulty pooping because their bowel movement process is altered. They may have a form of pelvic floor dysfunction, known as dyssynergic defecation, meaning the “muscles that should be relaxing are, instead, contracting,” Dr. Komar explains. Simply put, “they can’t poop normally,” he says.

For these folks, biofeedback therapy, a type of neuromuscular training aimed at correcting the biomechanics of going No. 2, can be an effective constipation treatment.

Many other constipation sufferers have stools that are hard or difficult to pass, or they have “slow transit” of stool through the colon. People diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a chronic GI problem, also can have slow-transit constipation.

Lots of things can interfere with your daily (or every-other-day) constitutional. If you’re consuming a diet low in fiber or leading a sedentary lifestyle, you might have difficult or infrequent BMs. Or, maybe you get constipated when you travel because your usual bathroom routine is disrupted.

RELATED: 5 Ways to Make Every Poop a Great One

Constipation can be a side effect of taking certain medications, such as iron, opioids, antidepressants, and calcium channel blockers. It can also be a consequence of having diabetes, hypothyroidism, or neurologic conditions, like multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease.

Less commonly, a bowel blockage can prevent stool from passing normally. If you’re over 50 and haven’t had a colon cancer screening, or if you have rectal bleeding, anemia, unexplained weight loss, or severe pain, see a doctor for your constipation to rule out colon or rectal cancer or some other bowel blockage.

What helps constipation depends on its cause, severity, and duration. In some cases, you may need an over-the-counter product like Miralax, an osmotic laxative that draws water into the colon, or Colace, a stool softener that boosts the water content of your poo.

If dietary and lifestyle indiscretions are to blame, do-it-yourself treatments and natural remedies may do the trick. Here are a few home remedies for preventing and treating constipation symptoms.

RELATED: 15 Foods That Help You Poop

1 of 10

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Drink more water

Are you drinking enough water each day? With these tips from Holley Grainger, RD, filling up on the recommended 13 to 16 cups is easier than you think. Watch this Cooking Light video to learn more.

2 of 10

3 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Eat more fiber

Seems like everyone is chatting about chia lately. Check out the the video to find out if these little seeds are worthy of all the hype.

3 of 10

Advertisement

4 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Exercise

walking-exercise-shoes
Credit: kieferpix/Getty Images

Lack of physical activity is considered a risk factor for constipation, particularly among older adults. Does than mean adopting a regular fitness routine will ease or prevent the problem?

The evidence is mixed, but doctors recommend exercise anyway since it’s good for overall health.

In one small study, inactive middle-aged folks suffering from constipation were divided into two groups. Each group received dietary advice, but the one that completed a 12-week physical activity program had quicker colon transit time and fewer constipation symptoms.

RELATED: 6 Ways Your Workout Can Change Your Poop

4 of 10

5 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Try a low-FODMAP diet

low fodmap diet ibs constipation poop
Credit: Getty Images

The acronym FODMAP, short for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols, refers to sugars in your diet that can provoke gut symptoms in some people.

Going on a low-FODMAP diet means eliminating and then slowly reintroducing potentially troublesome foods, like beans, milk, and certain fruits, to figure out which ones are causing your GI distress. You can do the diet at home, but it’s usually supervised by a doctor or registered dietitian. Studies suggest it can be useful in treating irritable bowel syndrome.

Dr. Burkhart says she’ll try it on patients “only after more conservative approaches have failed” because it’s not easy to follow. That being said, “the diet is incredibly helpful in many cases,” she adds.

RELATED: Why Does It Hurt When I Poop—and What Can I Do About It?

5 of 10

6 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Consider probiotics

kimchi-fermented-foods-depression
Credit: Getty Images

Probiotic supplements and foods like yogurt, kefir, and kimchi contain good-for-your-gut bacteria that may help ease constipation.

“Studies have shown that probiotics can help soften stools and increase the number of bowel movements,” Dr. Burkhart notes.

But they’re probably not a cure-all. “In my practice, I’ve never run into a person saying, ‘Well, since I started taking the probiotic, my constipation’s better,” Dr. Komar says.

RELATED: There Are 7 Types of Poop—Here's How to Tell If Yours Is Normal

6 of 10

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Eat prunes or drink prune juice

prunes in a bowl constipation poop prune juice
Credit: nata_vkusidey/Getty Images

It’s true what they say about prunes and prune juice: They do make you go.

Some studies suggest that prunes (aka dried plums) are more effective than psyllium (a type of soluble plant fiber–more on that next) in easing constipation. We like [tempo-ecommerce src="https://www.amazon.com/Sunbest-Pitted-Dried-Prunes-Plum/dp/B019EGDN22/ref=sr_1_5?th=1" rel="sponsored" target="_blank">

Prunes may get their laxative effect from a dose of fiber (3 grams in a serving of four to five dried plums) and sorbitol, a type of sugar alcohol.

RELATED: What the Color of Your Poop Can Tell You About Your Health

7 of 10

8 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Take psyllium

Laxatives for sale at CVS Pharmacy psyllium metamucil citrucel constipation
Credit: Jeff Greenberg/Getty Images

Psyllium, a soluble fiber that comes from the husks (or seed coat) of some flowering plants, has a key advantage over other types of fiber that you might consume, say, in a bowl of cereal.

Wheat bran can be “too irritating” for some people, Peisach explains. “Psyllium fiber is more gentle and still helps bulk the stool,” she says.

Psyllium is found in over-the-counter products such as Metamucil ($28; amazon.com). Other bulking agents include methylcellulose, another type of plant fiber and the main ingredient in Citrucel.

WATCH: 7 Reasons You’re All Backed Up

8 of 10

9 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Manage stress

yoga sex sexual vinaysa flow yogi
Credit: Getty Images/Alexandra Iakovleva

Stress is a risk factor for developing IBS, which can cause constipation, and is associated with symptom flare-ups.

Using relaxation techniques to ease stress and anxiety in your life may be good for the gut. The colon, after all, is partly controlled by the nervous system, which responds to stress, notes the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.

A small study by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, found young adults with IBS who participated in a twice-weekly yoga program experienced notable relief from constipation and other symptoms after the six-week intervention and at the two-month follow-up.

To get our top stories delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Healthy Living newsletter

9 of 10

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 10

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Use senna sparingly

Senna laxative tablets in open silver foil wrap senokot dulcolax bisacodyl constipation
Credit: UniversalImagesGroup/Getty Images

Stimulant laxatives, taken by mouth or as a suppository, work by increasing water content in the gut and increasing intestinal activity. They include senna, an herbal laxative (sold as [tempo-ecommerce src="https://www.amazon.com/Senokot-Ingredient-Dependable-Occasional-Constipation/dp/B003D3OF6G/ref=sr_1_1_sspa" rel="sponsored" target="_blank">

These products make quick work of resolving occasional bouts of constipation by speeding up your BMs. But doctors say they should not be your first choice for dealing with chronic constipation. Only use these medicines for severe constipation or if other treatments haven’t worked, cautions the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

If you’re pregnant, talk to your doctor before using any laxatives, especially stimulant laxatives.

RELATED: Why Does Poop Smell? Doctors Weigh In

10 of 10

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Karen Pallarito

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 10 What is constipation?
    2 of 10 Drink more water
    3 of 10 Eat more fiber
    4 of 10 Exercise
    5 of 10 Try a low-FODMAP diet
    6 of 10 Consider probiotics
    7 of 10 Eat prunes or drink prune juice
    8 of 10 Take psyllium
    9 of 10 Manage stress
    10 of 10 Use senna sparingly

    Share options

    Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

    Login

    Health.com

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • About Us
    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Contact us
    • Advertise this link opens in a new tab
    • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
    • Sitemap

    Connect

    Follow Us
    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Other Meredith Sites

    Other Meredith Sites

    • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
    • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
    • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
    • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
    • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
    • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
    • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
    • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
    • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
    • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
    • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
    • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
    • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
    • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
    • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
    • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
    • More this link opens in a new tab
    • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
    • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
    • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
    • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
    • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
    • Parents this link opens in a new tab
    • People this link opens in a new tab
    • People en Español this link opens in a new tab
    • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
    • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
    • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
    • Shape this link opens in a new tab
    • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
    • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
    • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
    • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
    MeredithHealth.com is part of the Meredith Health Group. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved. The material in this site is intended to be of general informational use and is not intended to constitute medical advice, probable diagnosis, or recommended treatments. All products and services featured are selected by our editors. Health.com may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.health.com

    View image

    9 Natural Remedies to Try When You Can't Poop
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.