Slow Transit Constipation

Picture of Roger Morelli BSC Myotherapy

Roger Morelli BSC Myotherapy

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Slow Transit Constipation 

Long term constipation causes decreased nerve signalling to the bowel, further slowing elimination. Knead Myotherapy’s pain free low level laser and electro simulation of the vagus nerve increases nerve impulses to the bowel improving transit time – making your life better. Slow transit constipation can be a complex disorder with many causes and your recovery should involve a dietary expert such as a naturopath or dietician. Approximately 15% of the population suffer from chronic slow transit constipation.

Complications of long term constipation include:

  • Bleeding
  • a reduction in brain impulses to the nerves that activate the bowel.
  • Fissures
  • Haemorrhoids
  • Bloating
  • Abdominal pain
  • Hospital admission

At Knead Myotherapy we offer low level laser and Vagus electro nerve stimulation to increase nerve signalling to the bowel and increase the speed of transit time. Combined with appropriate dietary management and exercise – results can be rapid. The bowel is a lengthy muscular tube designed to move digested food (absorbing nutrients) and removing waste. The pelvic floor muscles assist in this process and rely on a healthy neurological connection between the brain and spine and the organs in question. This relationship can be compromised if circumstances arise that lead to chronically slow transit time. Like a friend you haven’t spoken to for 20 years, you lose interest, the brain and the muscles of the pelvic floor can “lose touch” through negative neuroplastic change.

Slow Transit Constipation Brisbane City
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What is slow transit constipation?

Constipation occurs when bowel movements become less frequent. Constipation occurs in 
25% of children. Dietary factors, hydration, psychological stress and nerve health can all 
play a role in the development of slow transit.

How constipation makes you feel?

Typical symptoms include:

  • Physical discomfort from evacuation
  • Inconsistency with food input and waste output (insufficient volume)
  • Incomplete evacuation (not feeling empty on departure)
  •  Cramps
  • Abdominal swelling

Symptoms that indicate a dangerous level of constipation include:

  • Faecal incontinence (uncontrolled soiling)
  • Bladder incontinence (caused by the bladder being compressed by stagnant faecal
    matter)

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What causes slow transit constipation?

Constipation is not always caused by simple factors. However, transit time often begins to slow because of:

  •  sedentary behaviour (movement is imperative to a healthy digestive process)
  •  chronically insufficient fibre content in food
  •  The microbiome being out of balance because of excess refined sugars, insufficient
    fibre and the effect of antibiotics
    The consequences of this are:
  •  The faecal matter stays in the rectum too long.
  •  Nerve impulses that coordinate the muscles of the bowel and anal passage are
    stifled, increasing the time of digestive transit further.
  •  Dietary factors cause the faecal material to lose the appropriate level of hydration
    and HARDEN. Creating a loop of dysfunction – as this material slows transit time
    further.
  •  Bloating and excessive gases and fluids.

What helps slow transit constipation?

  • Consult with a nutrition expert and modify your diet to optimise your elimination
    problems.
  • Keep moving – sedentary behaviour is likely to slow transit time further
  • Vagus nerve stimulation and low level laser stimulation of the enteric nerves and the
    illio gastric nerves peristalsis (bowel churning) can improve significantly – long term
    constipation is as much a problem with nerve dysfunction as it is obstruction.

A clinician performing Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT).

How to treat slow transit constipation?

The digestive system is innervated by two spinal pathways as well as the enteric nervous
system (which originates at the brainstem via the vagus nerve). By applying low level laser to the nerves of the spine (at t10-L2 and from L5-s2) we can excite the nerves of the bowel (low level laser increases nerve signalling via increased cellular energy). Each dose of laser is effective for several days post treatment and will have obvious effects on an individual suffering slow transit time (increased stomach gurgling and more rapid elimination).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Habitual use of antacid medicine can lead to slow transit time, by hardening the stool – which eventually leads to dysfunction in the large intestine.

Physical discomfort from constipation is one of the earliest symptoms of chronic slow transit.

Absolutely yes. Visceral pain referral is a phenomenon where organs in distress refer pain that is perceived as musculoskeletal pain. Both intestinal and kidney distress can cause low back symptoms.

Absolutely yes. The two main causes of bleeding from constipation occur as a result of strain.

  • Fissures – tears in the anal passage
  • Haemorrhoids – a blood vessel that has emerged out of the muscles of the rectum. These blood vessels
    burst on evacuation leading to bleeding.

Any stressful situation can lead to headache via elevating blood pressure – which is also a side effect of constipation. Slow transit time means that the bodies waste products do not leave the blood stream which is also a theoretical cause of headache.

Absolutely yes. Visceral pain referral is a phenomenon where organs in distress refer pain that is perceived as musculoskeletal pain. Both intestinal and kidney distress can cause low back symptoms.

Absolutely. Constipation is a state where the body cannot evacuate waste products – this leads to a build up of toxins, which will in the early stages cause pain and nausea before becoming life threatening.

Absolutely. Constipation is a state where the body cannot evacuate waste products – this leads to a build up of toxins, which will in the early stages cause pain and nausea before becoming life threatening.

Curing slow transit constipation is a multi-faceted clinical journey. Nutrition experts are imperative to condition the bowel to increasing its activity, movement
is imperative to the health of the digestive system and a clinical expert in neurological function of the enteric and illiogastric nerves (such as a Myotherapist) to increase nerve activity (using vagus nerve stimulation and low level laser at the spinal level of the nerves which become the iliogastric nerve) which slows to a tiny fraction of normal when constipation is chronic.

Constipation is not always caused by simple factors. However, transit time often begins to slow because of:

  • Psychological stress
  • sedentary behaviour (movement is imperative to a
    healthy digestive process)
  • chronically insufficient fibre content in food
  • The microbiome being out of balance because of excess refined sugars, insufficient fibre and the effect of antibiotics

The consequences of this are:

  • The faecal matter stays in the rectum too long.
  • Nerve impulses that coordinate the the muscles of
    the bowel and anal passage are stifled, increasing the time of digestive transit further.
  • Dietary factors cause the faecal material to lose the appropriate level of hydration and HARDEN. Creating a loop of dysfunction – as this material slows transit time further.
  • Bloating and excessive gases and fluids.

Approximately 15% of the population suffer from slow transit constipation. Risks increase exponentially in the sedentary.

Approximately 15% of the population suffer from slow transit constipation. Risks increase exponentially in the sedentary.

Constipation leads to a hardening of faecal material in the bowel, causing an obstruction (and further aggravating the condition)

This can cause:

  • Pain
  • Nausea
  • Haemoroids
  • Fissures
  • Bleeding
  • Vomiting
  • Gas


And left untreated eventually lead to life threatening conditions including dehydration, toxic syndromes, hypertension and organ failure including hepatic encepelopathy (liver damage).

Constipation leads to a hardening of faecal material in the bowel, causing an obstruction (and further aggravating the condition)

This can cause:

  • Pain
  • Nausea
  • Haemoroids
  • Fissures
  • Bleeding
  • Vomiting
  • Gas
  • Liver damage


Chronic constipation is a vicious cycle because it leads to a reduction in nerve impulses that coordinate the muscles of the bowel and anal passage – leading to worse constipation.

Constipation leads to a hardening of faecal material in the bowel, causing an obstruction (and further aggravating the condition)

This can cause:

  • Pain
  • Nausea
  • Haemoroids
  • Fissures
  • Bleeding
  • Vomiting
  • Gas
  • Liver damage


Chronic constipation is a vicious cycle because it leads to a reduction in nerve impulses that coordinate the muscles of the bowel and anal passage – leading to worse constipation.

Constipation leads to a hardening of faecal material in the bowel, causing an obstruction (and further aggravating the condition)

This can cause:

  • Pain
  • Nausea
  • Haemoroids
  • Fissures
  • Bleeding
  • Vomiting
  • Gas
  • Liver damage


Chronic constipation is a vicious cycle because it leads to a reduction in nerve impulses that coordinate the muscles of the bowel and anal passage – leading to worse constipation.

Constipation leads to a hardening of faecal material in the bowel, causing an obstruction (and further aggravating the condition)

This can cause:

  • Pain
  • Nausea
  • Haemoroids
  • Fissures
  • Bleeding
  • Vomiting
  • Gas
  • Liver damage


Chronic constipation is a vicious cycle because it leads to a reduction in nerve impulses that coordinate the muscles of the bowel and anal passage – leading to worse constipation.

Curing slow transit constipation is a multi-faceted clinical journey. Nutrition experts are imperative to condition the bowel to increasing its activity, movement
is imperative to the health of the digestive system and a clinical expert in neurological function of the enteric and illiogastric nerves (such as a Myotherapist) to increase nerve activity (using vagus nerve stimulation and low level laser at the spinal level of the nerves which become the iliogastric nerve) which slows to a tiny fraction of normal when constipation is chronic.

Curing slow transit constipation is a multi-faceted clinical journey. Nutrition experts are imperative to condition the bowel to increasing its activity, movement
is imperative to the health of the digestive system and a clinical expert in neurological function of the enteric and illiogastric nerves (such as a Myotherapist) to increase nerve activity (using vagus nerve stimulation and low level laser at the spinal level of the nerves which become the iliogastric nerve) which slows to a tiny fraction of normal when constipation is chronic.

Curing slow transit constipation is a multi-faceted clinical journey. Nutrition experts are imperative to condition the bowel to increasing its activity, movement
is imperative to the health of the digestive system and a clinical expert in neurological function of the enteric and illiogastric nerves (such as a Myotherapist) to increase nerve activity (using vagus nerve stimulation and low level laser at the spinal level of the nerves which become the iliogastric nerve) which slows to a tiny fraction of normal when constipation is chronic.

Typical symptoms include:

  •  Physical discomfort from evacuation
  • Inconsistency with food input and waste output (insufficient volume)
  •  Incomplete evacuation (not feeling empty on 
    departure)
  • Cramps
  •  Abdominal swelling 


Symptoms that indicate a dangerous level of constipation 
include:

  • Faecal incontinence (uncontrolled soiling)
  •  Bladder incontinence (caused by the bladder being compressed by stagnant faecal matter)

Typical symptoms include:

  •  Physical discomfort from evacuation
  • Inconsistency with food input and waste output (insufficient volume)
  •  Incomplete evacuation (not feeling empty on 
    departure)
  • Cramps
  •  Abdominal swelling 


Symptoms that indicate a dangerous level of constipation 
include:

  • Faecal incontinence (uncontrolled soiling)
  •  Bladder incontinence (caused by the bladder being compressed by stagnant faecal matter)

Sedentary behaviour and dietary imbalance are the biggest risk factors of slow transit constipation. Constipation occurs when bowel movements become less frequent. Dietary factors, movement frequency, hydration, psychological stress and nerve health can all play a role in the development of slow transit. Constipation can start when the stools begin to harden (dietary factors usually) – this leads to a slowing of conditions in the gut (like a traffic jam). After a while, the nerve impulses from the spine to the digestive apparatus slow because the traffic jam is not really moving and then the condition is chronic. Walking helps maintain nerve signalling to the bowel and assists in bowel “churning” – keeping the traffic moving.

Sedentary behaviour and dietary imbalance are the biggest risk factors of slow transit constipation. Constipation occurs when bowel movements become less frequent. Dietary factors, movement frequency, hydration, psychological stress and nerve health can all play a role in the development of slow transit. Constipation can start when the stools begin to harden (dietary factors usually) – this leads to a slowing of conditions in the gut (like a traffic jam). After a while, the nerve impulses from the spine to the digestive apparatus slow because the traffic jam is not really moving and then the condition is chronic. Walking helps maintain nerve signalling to the bowel and assists in bowel “churning” – keeping the traffic moving.

Sedentary behaviour and dietary imbalance are the biggest risk factors of slow transit constipation. Constipation occurs when bowel movements become less frequent. Dietary factors, movement frequency, hydration, psychological stress and nerve health can all play a role in the development of slow transit. Constipation can start when the stools begin to harden (dietary factors usually) – this leads to a slowing of conditions in the gut (like a traffic jam). After a while, the nerve impulses from the spine to the digestive apparatus slow because the traffic jam is not really moving and then the condition is chronic. Walking helps maintain nerve signalling to the bowel and assists in bowel “churning” – keeping the traffic moving.

A dietary professional or GP will discuss your situation and may get you to perform a questionnaire. This is sufficient for the diagnosis. Causes of constipation may require Ultrasound or MRI imaging.

This is a complex question. The most common causes of constipation are usually related to diet (a diet lacking fiber frequently) and sedentary behaviour. However,
nerve signalling of the bowel can be inhibited in some demographics – particularly individuals who are on the spectrum (autism). Psychological stress can impact
eating and elimination.

This is a complex question. The most common causes of constipation are usually related to diet (a diet lacking fiber frequently) and sedentary behaviour. However,
nerve signalling of the bowel can be inhibited in some demographics – particularly individuals who are on the spectrum (autism). Psychological stress can impact
eating and elimination.

  • Consult with a nutrition expert and modify your diet to optimise your elimination problems.
  • Keep moving – sedentary behaviour is likely to slow transit time further
  • Vagus nerve stimulation and low level laser stimulation of the enteric nerves and the illio gastric nerves peristalsis (bowel churning) can improve significantly – long term constipation is as much a problem with nerve dysfunction as it is obstruction.

Constipation occurs when bowel movements become less frequent. Dietary factors, movement frequency, hydration, psychological stress and nerve health can all play a role in the development of slow transit. Constipation can start when
the stools begin to harden (dietary factors usually) – this leads to a slowing of conditions in the gut (like a traffic jam). After a while, the nerve impulses from the spine to the digestive apparatus slow because the traffic jam is not really moving and then the condition is chronic. Walking helps maintain nerve signalling to the bowel and assists in bowel “churning” – keeping the traffic moving.

Constipation occurs when bowel movements become less frequent. Dietary factors, movement frequency, hydration, psychological stress and nerve health can all play a role in the development of slow transit. Constipation can start when
the stools begin to harden (dietary factors usually) – this leads to a slowing of conditions in the gut (like a traffic jam). After a while, the nerve impulses from the spine to the digestive apparatus slow because the traffic jam is not really moving and then the condition is chronic. Walking helps maintain nerve signalling to the bowel and assists in bowel “churning” – keeping the traffic moving.

Constipation occurs when bowel movements become less frequent. Dietary factors, movement frequency, hydration, psychological stress and nerve health can all play a role in the development of slow transit. Constipation can start when
the stools begin to harden (dietary factors usually) – this leads to a slowing of conditions in the gut (like a traffic jam). After a while, the nerve impulses from the spine to the digestive apparatus slow because the traffic jam is not really moving and then the condition is chronic. Walking helps maintain nerve signalling to the bowel and assists in bowel “churning” – keeping the traffic moving.

Constipation is considered dangerous if you have fewer than 3 bowel movements per week. Contact your GP immediately.

Constipation is considered dangerous if you have fewer than 3 bowel movements per week. Contact your GP immediately.

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