Health Tip: Prevent Constipation

(HealthDay News) -- It's not true that to be considered regular, you have to produce a bowel movement at least once daily, the American Academy of Family Physicians says.

The "normal" range varies widely -- between three times a day and three times a week, the academy says.

Here are its recommendations to help prevent constipation:

When you need to have a bowel movement, try not to ignore it.
Make time to have a regular bowel movement, such as after a meal.

It's hard to separate emotions from the body and what's more important is that you communicate what you're feeling with your doctor if you're feeling ill. According to familydoctor.org, this is known as the mind/body connection. Here are a few symptoms that may be tied to emotions:

* Back pain
* Change in appetite
* Chest pain
* Constipation or diarrhea
* Dry mouth
* Extreme tiredness
* General aches and pains
* Headaches
* High blood pressure
* Insomnia (trouble sleeping)
* Lightheadedness

Clinical Trials Update: July 9, 2008

(HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of CenterWatch:

Fibromyalgia

If you have the pain and exhaustion that characterize fibromyalgia, you may qualify for this study.

The research site is in Salt Lake City, Utah.

More information

Please see http://www.centerwatch.com/patient/studi....

-----

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

If you have symptoms of GAD, you may qualify for this study.

The research site is in San Antonio, Texas.

More information

I have a friend who just emailed me and is suffering from IBS. I asked her the following questions...

-is it worse around your period
-have you been diagnosed with endometriosis
-do you suffer from diarrhea and or constipation or both
-do you have thyroid issues
-ever had a hysterctomy

She's asked me what the drug was that I took for spasming of the colon?

I will reply, once she answers my questions.

Best in health,

Michelle

By Ed Edelson
HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, May 28 (HealthDay News) -- Two new medications offer hope for the most severe forms of constipation.

Almost 15 percent of Americans are constipated at any given time, said Dr. Michael Camilleri, lead author of one of two reports in the May 29 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. His paper reported on the efficacy of the experimental drug prucalopride on 620 people with chronic constipation.

What are the chances? Apparently our family is a bit of an anomoly. It all started when I rushed my 19 year old daughter to emergency one morning. I was on my way to work when I got a call on my cell phone. My daughter was very distressed, in a huge amount of pain and had rectal bleeding - could I take her to the hospital? I turned my car around - raced home and was shocked to see the pain she was in.