The quickest methods for a bowel movement involve using rectal suppositories or enemas, which can work within minutes to an hour. For less immediate, but still fast relief, over-the-counter (OTC) stimulant laxatives are an option, typically working within 6 to 12 hours.
People who want fast constipation relief can also try drinking hot beverages, especially caffeinated ones like coffee or regular tea. The temperature of the liquid can speed up digestive motility, and caffeine stimulates the bowels as well.
Dulcolax® Liquid works naturally with the water in your body to provide fast and gentle relief from occasional constipation, in as little as 30 minutes to 6 hours.
High-calorie foods, greasy foods and spicy foods can cause greater contractions in your digestive system. Hidden food intolerances could also cause this reaction. Drinks containing alcohol or caffeine can make you poop.
For immediate constipation relief, drink warm liquids like coffee or herbal tea, try light exercise like walking, gently massage your abdomen, or use the squatting position to help with a bowel movement; over-the-counter options like stool softeners or suppositories, and high-fiber foods like prunes can also offer quick relief. Stay hydrated and avoid dehydrating drinks like alcohol and excess caffeine for faster results.
Bowel Obstruction Home Remedies
How To Empty Your Bowels Every Morning
Dietary fiber, found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, helps clear out your bowels. You don't digest fiber — instead, it passes through your bowels relatively intact, sweeping waste out along the way. If you've recently started eating more fiber, you might even be clearing out older poop that was stuck in there.
The 10 most constipating foods often include dairy, red meat, fried foods, processed foods, refined grains (like white bread), sugary snacks, unripe bananas, chocolate, gluten-rich items (like wheat), and caffeine/alcohol, largely because they're low in fiber, high in fat, or dehydrating, slowing down digestion and hardening stools.
A general rule is that going longer than three days without pooping is too long. After three days, stool becomes harder and more difficult to pass. You may need to take steps to spur your gut into action so you can poop.
When constipated, avoid processed foods, red meat, dairy, refined carbs (white bread, pasta), fried foods, and sugary drinks, as these are low in fiber and high in fat/sugar, slowing digestion; also don't delay going to the bathroom or become dehydrated by drinking alcohol or too much caffeine, as water is crucial for softening stool. Straining excessively and using certain laxatives without advice should also be avoided.
Lazy bowel syndrome is a condition characterized by the slow movement of waste through the digestive system, typically due to the reduced motility of the large intestine. Lazy bowel syndrome may be a consequence of direct and indirect factors, which may result in symptoms of constipation.
Sitting a certain way for seven seconds is not proven to help constipation. However, changing your body posture while on the toilet can make things easier. Place your feet on a stool to place your knees higher than your hips.
Make an appointment with your health care professional if you have constipation with any of the following conditions: Symptoms that last longer than three weeks. Symptoms that make it difficult to do everyday activities. Bleeding from your rectum or blood on toilet tissue.
Prunes are often hailed as the number one food to help you go number two — and for good reason. Prunes, which are just dehydrated plums, are packed with fiber, which helps keep food moving through the digestive system. They also contain the sugar alcohol sorbitol, which has a laxative effect, Chey explains.
To empty your bowels quickly, try drinking warm coffee or water, using a squatting position with a footstool for better posture, gently massaging your abdomen in a downward motion, or using a suppository or enema for faster results; these methods stimulate the digestive system or physically help clear the colon.
The best drinks for constipation are plain water, warm liquids (coffee, tea) to stimulate bowels, and juices high in sorbitol like prune, apple, or pear juice, which draw water into the colon. Adding fiber-rich green smoothies, clear soups, or sipping probiotic kefir can also help, while avoiding alcohol and excessive dairy can prevent worsening constipation. Staying hydrated overall is crucial for soft, easy-to-pass stools.
Coffee has a laxative effect, so if you have loose poo or diarrhoea, you may want to reduce or stop drinking coffee. However, if you are constipated, it may help you to poo regularly again. Herbal teas can help with different bowel problems.
Make changes to your diet
The best time to weigh yourself is first thing in the morning after you've gone to the restroom but before you eat or drink anything. The reason for this is that your body has had enough time to digest all the food and drinks you've consumed from the day before all while you were getting your beauty sleep.
Although bowel movement frequency varies greatly for each person, if more than three days pass without a bowel movement, the contents in the intestines may harden, making it difficult or even painful to pass. Straining during bowel movements or the feeling of incomplete emptying also may be considered constipation.