Difference Between Stool Softener And Stimulant Laxative

Stool softeners and stimulant laxatives differ in how they function.

Difference between stool softener and stimulant laxative.

But which one should you choose to cure your constipation. The first choice she recommends is a senna based stimulant laxative. Stool softeners are a type of laxative. They work by drawing water into the stool making it softer and more comfortable to pass.

Psyllium one type of bulk forming laxative has been used with a proper diet to treat high cholesterol. Laxatives come in liquid tablet gum capsule granule or powder forms. Be aware that these supplements can also cause bloating. By contrast stimulant laxatives such as cascara bisacodyl and castor oil.

Among laxatives stool softeners are considered to be the safest. Mechanical and chemical processes break food down into molecules that are absorbed through your intestines and the resulting waste is eliminated during a bowel movement. They do not directly cause bowel movements. A stool softener is a type of.

Stool softeners prevent or treat constipation by making the stools less hard. Your body relies on the nutrients from the foods you eat for survival. Using a stimulant laxative or a stool softener every once and awhile isn t a big deal as long as you re not depending on them regularly. Bisacodyl also called by the brand name dulcolax senna also called by the brand name senokot sodium picosulfate.

These laxatives form a gel in your stool and thereby help in holding more water in your stool. Because of this most stool softeners take one to three days to be effective. Stool softeners are only a type of laxative. First of all let s sort out the difference between stool softeners and laxatives.

A laxative is a substance that you use to help you have a bowel movement. Stimulant laxatives such as bisacodyl and cascara trigger contractions in the bowels that push the stool along. When bowel movements are slow some people really do need stimulant laxatives dr. The best kind of laxative to use depends on the cause of constipation.

These stimulate the muscles that line your gut helping them to move poo along to your back passage. A big difference that can be seen between stool softeners and laxatives is that the former does not stimulate bowel movements. Fiber supplements make your stool bulkier so it s easier to pass.