When I was in college for Occupational Therapy I worked in several group homes to understand O.T. We were trained to be care givers and pass meds. I received general emergency procedures, safety and accuracy to dispense medications. A class was given and an exam was taken to allow care givers to pass meds. As a group home employee I learned a lot from others on how different employees apply various medications. One medication was a suppository, to get the residents to accept the insertion the person giving the med would ask the resident during application to blow out their mouth. Employees were told it would loosen the anal sphincter and allow for easier application.
I used to smoke cigarettes. As a smoker I had regular activities when I smoked, one in particular was every morning when I went to the bathroom to have a bowel movement. At different cigarette breaks when talking to other smoker's many people related the same.
Many people say they drink coffee and that promotes bowel movements. This is pursing lips and sucking in air or liquid.
At one time during college I thought about the human anatomy and the function of our digestive system. When I put the above techniques together I realized that each used a pucker of the lips and force of air through the mouth. As a COTA-Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant, I work with people on toileting (transfers, hygiene and dressing as it pertains to elimination); I have been with many clients who are constipated for one reason or another. Frequent reasons are: lack of moisture in a body, use pain killers, & eating nuts or excessive cheese. As I have worked with clients and they complain of constipation I tell them of my theory of blowing-as if to cool off a spoon of soup, clients have said this to be a good technique. A comical situation when I began practicing O.T. happened as I was instructing a geriatric client to take a physical break. The lady was standing supported by holding onto a walker; I had her do some reaching exercises which tired her out. I asked her as she became short of breath to take a deep breath in through her nose and slowly blow out through her mouth. The lady was wearing adult diapers, which generally are ill fitted and loose and a hospital gown. During this exercise the lady was breathing slowly several times and during one exhale a small piece of pooh fell out of her pants to the floor. The lady immediately was embarrassed and said “I'm sorry”, I told her not to worry that it was so small it looked like a bunny turd. We both laughed! Proof that blowing loosens things up and helps things to move.
Our lower abdomen is filled with intestines beginning at our stomach rolled up until the intestines become our anal sphincters. At one side of our body the large intestine moves waste with a peristaltic action (squeezing, like the movement of a snake) at the other side of our body the intestines do not use this action. This means movement through part of our intestine is reliant on the movement of our body. I learned this while having a lower GI, I have also told clients to try massaging their abdomen and sides of their middle body.
Of course also because I am a COTA I know that foot and leg movement massages our intestines which helps make waste move. Yoga is a great way to get intestinal clearing. Some of the people I work with are in wheel chairs or use walkers. The use of Wheel chairs and walkers is because a person has difficulty walking and ambulation; any of us who are seated regularly for a long period time can become constipated. I have the people I work with in therapy bring their knees, one at at time as close to their chest as they can-while seated. Someone who has a job that causes them to sit for long periods of time could do exercises in their chairs like marching in place & moving away from the desk every hour or when they can, individually pull one knee at a time up as close to their chest as possible and hold for a count of 5. Repeat this exercise 10 times each leg.
This leg movement can be proven if you have a dog and run him, after 5 to 20 minutes of leg movement the dog will have a bowel movement.
The first thing I have suggested to people with this problem is to drink more fluids, which will moisten their intestines. I personally think the more slimy texture the better, I drink Aloe Vera.
