Constipation is a common complaint, especially in older adults. It results in millions of physician visits per year, with hundreds of millions of dollars spent on laxatives. Untreated it can lead ...

Laxatives, or stool softeners, are widely available without prescription as over-the-counter (OTC) products. They are commonly used to manage symptoms of constipation and various other ...

The main principle behind the treatment of constipation is to treat the underlying problem. For instance, correcting hypothyroidism or hypercalcaemia is preferable to using laxatives to stimulate ...