If a baby is often tormented by constipation, then suppositories with glycerin can come to the rescue. You need to worry when the child does not have stool for more than two days and other unpleasant symptoms appear (pain, crying, refusal to eat, vomiting). For the digestive system to function properly, it is necessary that food contains enough liquid and that the intestines function without disturbances . If these conditions are not met, constipation occurs. Feces become hard and difficult to remove from the body.
When to use
When constipation occurs, not everyone rushes to see a doctor because of the sensitivity of this problem. Trying to solve it on their own, many people use various means - tablets, drops, decoctions, without taking into account how long it will take for the effect to occur. Therefore, they do not get the desired result in a short time.
The action of glycerin suppositories is fast, effective and gentle. But it doesn’t always make sense to use suppositories, but only for proctogenic constipation - when feces accumulate in the lower intestines. If stool is retained above the rectum, suppositories are not used to assist with bowel movements.
Constipation occurs for various reasons. For treatment, it is better to understand why stool retention occurred. While it is being determined why this happens, the body can become severely intoxicated due to fecal stagnation. The use of a suppository will greatly improve the patient’s condition, so the drug is administered if:
- the delay lasts more than three days;
- it is impossible to use another means;
- you need to get quick and painless emptying.
Suppositories are used rectally - the laxative is inserted into the anus. It is advisable to take into account how long it takes for a glycerin suppository to work in order to properly plan your affairs and be near the toilet at the right time.
Laxative suppositories soften the contents of the rectum. Due to this, they are recommended not only for constipation, but also for hemorrhoids. This remedy helps relieve pain during bowel movements.
Taking into account how quickly a glycerin suppository acts, the drug is also prescribed to postoperative patients who are forced to remain motionless for a long time to preserve sutures.
Why do babies get constipated?
If constipation is rare, then there is no need to worry. But if stool disturbances appear periodically, a comprehensive examination of the child’s body is necessary.
The main causes of constipation in infants include the following:
- lack of fluid - this is especially true for children who are on formula;
- if the child is completely breastfed, then the reason may lie in the mother’s own poor diet;
- taking certain medications;
- if the mother does not have enough milk, this can cause stagnation in the baby’s intestines;
- constipation may occur after the first feeding;
- digestive system disorders;
- diseases not related to the digestive system;
- allergic diseases;
- lack of certain vitamins and minerals (calcium, potassium);
- insufficient amounts of enzymes produced by the liver and pancreas.
Most often, constipation occurs in children who are bottle-fed and mixed-fed.
What happens in the body
To make it easier to administer internally, glycerin suppositories for constipation are made in a cone shape, which they keep at room temperature not exceeding +25C.
It is better to store the drug in the refrigerator, or put it there for half an hour before administering it orally. The principle of operation is such that upon contact with the body after entering the rectum, the suppository shell melts and the medicine begins to melt.
The main component of the drug is glycerin. Entering the rectum through the anus, it irritates its nerve endings, increases the secretion of mucus, softens the stool, since it is hygroscopic and attracts liquid. The action of the active substance tones the muscles, they begin to contract, bowel movements occur softly and painlessly. Therefore, glycerin as a laxative is allowed to be used by adults and children.
If the use of the drug causes irritation and discomfort (pain, itching or burning), then they should be neutralized with a warm microenema with vegetable oil or chamomile.
Properties and principle of operation
Infants (especially those who are bottle-fed) often have problems with bowel movements. Every mother, among other important medications, should keep medications that help with this problem. At the same time, it must be safe and effective.
To facilitate the act of defecation in children under one year old, you can use special glycerin suppositories.
The main advantages of this medicine are the following:
- glycerin coats the intestinal walls and provides their lubrication;
- softens feces;
- activates the contractile activity of the intestines and promotes the natural discharge of feces;
- does not penetrate inside the intestinal walls, but has an effect on its surface;
- easy and painless administration;
- when used correctly, candles are not addictive;
- helps eliminate the problem for a long time;
- the medicine is harmless to all human organs;
- the remains of the suppository come out along with the feces.
What to do according to the instructions
Before using a laxative for the first time, it is recommended to carefully read the instructions to find out how long it takes for a glycerin suppository to work. The best time for glycerin suppositories to work in adults is considered to be in the morning. After breakfast you need to do the following:
- To wash hands.
- Lubricate one finger with oil.
- Take a comfortable position to administer the product into the rectum: on your knees, on your back, or on your side.
- Remove the drug from the package.
- Gently insert deeper with the pointed end using your finger.
- Lie comfortably on your side, with your knees slightly bent and your buttocks squeezed, for half an hour.
After this, to get the full result, it is recommended to have one to two hours in reserve so as not to go anywhere. Only through your own experience can you determine how candles work. The fastest results come after a few minutes. It is possible that the urge to defecate will have to wait an hour.
How long to keep the glycerin substance depends on the individual characteristics of the body and its condition at that moment. In exceptional cases, emptying occurs after a day. After some time, the urge to go to the toilet may occur again.
You also need to know when glycerin suppositories are used, how many pieces per day are enough for an adult. If the case is severe, then it is allowed to administer two at once, or the second one should be administered after 12 hours. After using the suppository for a week, you should take a break. Further action is addictive and does not give the desired result; complications arise in the form of diarrhea or irritable bowel. Subsequently, you will have to look for another laxative, paying attention to how long it takes to act in order to use it correctly.
Features of application
Candles can be placed when the child begins to push to no avail. Ideally, you should use them in the morning, a few minutes after eating.
- Before using the candle, you must wash your hands.
- Having freed the suppository from the packaging, it is inserted into the rectum with a rounded narrow end. If you need to divide it, cut the suppository lengthwise into pieces using a knife.
- The child is placed on his side, his legs are pressed to his stomach, after which a candle is inserted into the anus. The surface of the drug is oily and easy to administer, but additional products can be used - for example, sea buckthorn oil or petroleum jelly.
- Try to push the candle as far as possible, but do not force it, otherwise you may damage the intestinal walls.
- After the procedure is completed, the child does not need to be picked up. It must be in a horizontal position for several minutes so that the active substance of the medicine can fully start the intestines.
With frequent and long-term use of suppositories with glycerin, the sensitivity of the intestines to its effects is lost.
Once again, when you need to quickly get rid of constipation, the remedy will be ineffective. A burning sensation and irritation may occur in the anus. Another difficulty is that the child will not be able to tell adults about this, and it will be difficult to figure out why he is crying. By constantly using glycerin suppositories, you can disrupt intestinal function, and in this case, constipation can turn into diarrhea.
The effect of the candle occurs within half an hour. If the feces do not come out, then you can repeat the procedure, but not earlier than after 12 hours.
Advantages and disadvantages
The laxative has a number of positive aspects for relieving constipation. Sometimes it becomes important how quickly the suppositories work. There are other important advantages of the drug:
- efficiency;
- no side effects;
- accessibility for adults and children;
- low price.
The disadvantage of laxatives is that the rectum becomes addictive after the body has received the drug for a long time, which reduces the work of the muscles to move feces. There is also a restriction for pregnant women.
Despite the fact that this medicine is sold without a prescription, it should be used to treat regular bowel retention only after consultation with a doctor and on his recommendation. You can use a laxative on your own only in case of an urgent one-time bowel movement. To do everything correctly, you need to know how quickly a glycerin suppository works, when and how to use it.
Description of the drug and its composition
The main active ingredient is glycerin. The additional components are sodium carbonate and stearic acid. The candles have an oblong shape with a cone-shaped end, transparent white color, neutral smell. There are 10 pieces in a package. Candles are produced for both adults and children.
If you don’t have children’s candles on hand, you can use adult ones, after dividing them into several parts. The drug is available without a prescription and can be found in any pharmacy.
One candle weighs 1.4 g. The glycerol content is 0.75 g. For infants up to three months, the candle can be divided into two or three parts. They should be stored in a dry, cool and protected from light place.
Before giving a suppository to a newborn, you should consult a doctor: he may recommend undergoing an examination to exclude pathologies of intestinal development.
When not to use a laxative
If problems with bowel movements do not occur often, then the best solution would be to find the cause and try to remove it. It could be:
- unhealthy food,
- drinking small amounts of fluid
- long-term use of medications, such as antibiotics,
- insufficient physical activity.
In this case, it is not recommended to use suppositories. If they are applied, the problem will not be solved fundamentally, but will only worsen the situation in the future. Perhaps changing some aspects of life will serve as a real medicine for the body.
Like any medicine, glycerin suppositories for constipation are not beneficial for everyone. Sometimes consequences and secondary effects prevent their use. Injecting a laxative into the rectum is not recommended if constipation occurs due to the slow passage of contents through the large intestine, which is located above. This is a different type of constipation - cologenic. The drug causes undesirable side effects in patients who have:
- allergy to one of the components of the drug;
- cracks or inflammation in the anus;
- internal or external bleeding;
- neoplasms in the rectum;
- irritable bowel syndrome;
- acute form of hemorrhoids.
The product should not be used by pregnant women during the initial and final stages of pregnancy, so as not to have a relaxing effect on the uterus, which can cause miscarriage or premature birth. Pregnant women should use this laxative only under the supervision of a doctor, with a preliminary study of how glycerin suppositories act on the body of the expectant mother and the fetus.
There is no need to use the drug to obtain stool for testing. The active substance and other components of the drug may affect the test results.
