Constipation is extremely common and can occur in babies, children and adults. In fact, the NHS estimates that around one in every seven adults and up to one-third of children in the UK has constipation at any one time. Affecting twice as many women as men, constipation is more common in older adults and during pregnancy.
Help may be at hand, however, after reflexology and abdominal massage were trialled in a study of 100 older people with constipation. Both performed well, highlight the study authors in Gastroenterology Nursing (2024).
“Reflexology improved the constipation problem of these older persons and their quality of life,” they say. “The effects of both reflexology and abdominal massage were similar in improving constipation and quality of life in older persons.”
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