To relieve constipation immediately while on the toilet, try the following effective techniques:
Best Toilet Position and Breathing Techniques
- Elevate your feet using a footstool so your knees are higher than your hips, mimicking a natural squatting position. This straightens the rectal canal and relaxes pelvic floor muscles, making stool passage easier
- Lean forward slightly with your hands resting on your thighs to help gravity assist bowel movement
- Practice diaphragmatic (deep) breathing : breathe deeply into your lower lungs through your nose, let your stomach expand, then exhale slowly through your mouth. This relaxes pelvic muscles and reduces straining
- Use the brace and bulge technique : gently push your lower ribs outward (brace), then push your lower abdomen outward (bulge) without holding your breath, and use this abdominal pressure to push stool out without straining
- Relax your anal sphincter to open the bottom and allow stool to pass
Additional Immediate Tips
- If stool does not pass right away, take a break and try walking or drinking a warm beverage like tea or water to stimulate bowel movement
- Gentle abdominal massage or light exercise can also help stimulate the colon and rectum
- If needed, over-the-counter options like stool softeners or suppositories may provide faster relief, but these should be used cautiously and ideally under medical advice
Combining proper toilet posture, controlled breathing, and abdominal pressure techniques provides the most immediate relief from constipation while on the toilet
