Medical Treatment of Constipation

Abstract

In a community practice, uncomplicated constipation should be approached in a stepwise manner. Although most patients may have their own methods to deal with acute problems, they occasionally need a one-time oral cathartic or large-volume enema in the beginning of treatment, to start with a ``clean slate.'' In these situations, prior to treatment, confirmation of constipation is usually easily accomplished by reviewing an abdominal x-ray.