A vicious circle

Many sufferers of constipation reach a point where they say, "Enough is enough." They take steps to deal with their situation - by taking a remedy - and the constipation usually goes away. They get on with their lives but, despite having used a treatment, a few weeks later, it can come back again!

Sound familiar? This scenario describes the vicious circle of constipation. This is where this frustrating condition recurs because the initial causes have not been fully addressed. Taking a remedy will have helped temporarily, but where an additional, underlying cause exists, constipation is likely to keep coming back if it is not first identified and dealt with.

Going round and round

If you have spent some time looking around this web site, you will have a good idea of what causes simple constipation. The most common culprits are lack of fibre, fluids or exercise, while medication, travel and pregnancy are just some of the many other factors which can affect your digestive system. An assessment of your lifestyle can highlight whether changes to your lifestyle and diet could help. Have a look at our Lifestyle Advice page for tips and advice. Do you spend most of the day seated in an office chair? Are you always in a rush and not managing to maintain a balanced diet? While constipation remedies will probably get rid of the problem, reverting to bad habits may see constipation come back again.

Breaking the circle

If you find yourself trapped in a vicious circle of recurring or worsening constipation, the first thing to do is not to ignore it. Common reasons for constipation recurring are a lack of fibre and fluid in the diet. Some people treat the initial constipation episode, but do not change their diet which means that the constipation may keep coming back. To address this you can take a laxative such as Senokot to treat the initial problem. Senokot contains the natural ingredient senna and works in harmony with your body. You should always address the amount of fibre in your diet first, if this does not work, you can then take Fybogel to help maintain your bowel regularity. Fybogel is a natural fibre drink which contains ispaghula husk, a concentrated fibre which works similarly to other fibres in the diet. You should also try to eat a balanced diet, drink more fluids and take regular exercise.

Senokot and Fybogel can help give your system a hand to ensure that you don't get trapped into the vicious circle of constipation.

(Senokot Tablets and Syrup contain senna - always read the label. Fybogel contains ispaghula husk - always read the label).

Try our Treatment Advisor for information to help you decide which is the right treatment for you.


	What is constipation? Common symptoms and causes		Treating Constipation Why constipation should not be ignored		The Digestive System View our animations of the digestive process		Health Assessment Find out if your digestive fitness is up to scratch		Pregnancy Constipation? Click here for advice on pregnancy constipation

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