Was Actual Constipation More Common in the "Golden Age?"

I feel like it was less common because there was less processed foods than today.

@complete_bowell_cleansing

Since decades women have been more constipated than men.

Do you have anything to support that?? Why would women suffer more from constipation than men? Just curious.

Women DO have more constipation than men.

Women DO have more constipation than men.

Ok. Why?? Or are they more willing to admit it?

Last I heard they were not sure. Might be hormones, might be stress. They might be more willing to admit it as well.

Women have higher rate of IBS as well.

@moliere

I did some non-scientific googling and came up with the same results. Women do have higher rates of constipation, and it does appear to be related to menstrual cycles, possibly related to hormones. No definitive answers. The studies were pretty equally distributed between men and women, so I don't think women simply report it more. Could it mean women are more anal retentive than men?? 😃

With studies you do have to look at how they select their samples, as that can change the results significantly.

But I agree that they have tried to answer the question objectively and it seems to be true. I also think that women are probably more willing to admit it to a doctor than a man is.

Also re: the original question, I think that concepts in constipation have changed. Back then from what I hear not going every day might be cause to call yourself "constipated" and take an enema. Now the time interval has increased, and we are less concerned about constipation because we don't think that anything too terrible will happen because you haven't gone for a few days.

Speaking from experience I can tell you I had more constipation during pregnancy than any time before or after. Was it pressure from the baby disturbing my gut, reduced physical activity, or something else? During this time my trusty blue Faultless enema bulb was my best friend. I was determined not to put laxatives in my body so a squirt or two of nice warm water usually did the trick. I don't know what doctors recommend these days for constipation during pregnancy, but I will bet the enema bulb is not it.

Fiber and stool softeners, though it seems the actual risk level from an enema is very low. Fortunately my wife had no issues during her pregnancy.

Speaking from experience I can tell you I had more constipation during pregnancy than any time before or after. During this time my trusty blue Faultless enema bulb was my best friend. I don't know what doctors recommend these days for constipation during pregnancy, but I will bet the enema bulb is not it.

They do not recommend enemas at all as they can help induce labor contractions. They will recommend Miralax or some other laxative but rarely unless in the most extreme circumstances will go with the trusty bag.

Speaking from experience I can tell you I had more constipation during pregnancy than any time before or after. Was it pressure from the baby disturbing my gut, reduced physical activity, or something else?

I had the same problem in that I was constipated for weeks/months while pregnant. It was nerves for me. If I get too nervous/worried my bowels shut down or just run freely. Pregnancy they shut down.

Without the enemas my sub gave I would have had alot more problems.

They do not recommend enemas at all as they can help induce labor contractions.

I used ememas for 3 months and 6 months with my kids. Found out I was pregnant earlier with the second so constipation set in sooner. Neither time was labor very early. Didn't even get any false labor pains.

Perhaps in the "Golden Age" constipation has not be more common than today for in former times all the members of a family have been habituated to cleanse the bowels in a regular manner - so a constipation did not occur.

Without the enemas my sub gave I would have had alot more problems. I used enemas for 3 months and 6 months with my kids.

That would have been my dream pregnancy for my wife butt also no such luck. I did see one enema given with my third one and I had to sneak to see that. She hated every second too.

From my research (trying to get things started because my wife was tired of being pregnant), enemas are significantly less effective than walking, nipple play or orgasms. Castor oil might be a bit more effective, but I didn't want to put her through that. I don't lie to her either so didn't push her to try enemas "just in case."

Some older materials had them listed with the note "not very effective." Older being late 80s and 90s.

I was not born in the "golden age", rather in the early 1970s. My mother was constipated not infrequently, and so was I when I was a kid, though probably for different reasons. Mom believed that severe constipation could lead us to hospital... and also that struggling on the toilet would lead to rectal/anal damage such as hemorrhoids (I think she was correct on that). Past toddler years it was not a constant watch like what some of you describe here on Zity (mother monitoring bowel movements), but she would inquire if I stayed on the toilet too long, ask to see the "results", etc. and she would take action (mild oral laxative + glycerin suppositories).

So I believe people of her age, though not necessarily more constipated that today, but were more prone to questions and interventions. I guess most parents nowadays would not give suppositories to kids.

Mom believed that severe constipation could lead us to hospital... and also that struggling on the toilet would lead to rectal/anal damage such as hemorrhoids (I think she was correct on that).

I have been told that there is a risk of impaction and I shouldn't completely ignore constipation, but that it isn't a big risk.

As for the hemorrhoids there does seem to be an established correlation, and I've noticed it as well. I've been really trying not to strain.

Moliere: For some reason my mom believed in the dangers of impaction, I heard her mention it ("occlusion intestinale") several times.

Hemorrhoids and rectal damage were the reason given to us for not struggling on the potty and instead come to mom (meaning receiving one or more glycerin suppositories, plus the usual mild oral laxative).

I don't know if constipation was more common during the "golden age" but I do think enemas were a more common cure. Most homes had a bulb syringe or an enema bag and they were put to good use. Enemas were an acceptable treatment to move stubborn bowels. At the first sign of problems, my mom was quick to take me into the bathroom and give me an Ivory soap enema with the bulb syringe. They were very effective and took care of my problem every time.

I think I have posted on this before? I got constipated mostly in the seventies growing up. I don't remember any time getting an oral laxative except before a stay in the hospital around 8/9 yrs old. I watched a lot of daytime game shows when I stayed home from school. Almost every commercial break their was a commercial for ex lax and other oral laxatives feenamint and others. We got enemas or suppositories until around age twelve. I think that is how our parents and grand parents got it too. In the 80's things seemed to change commercial wise less talk about the subject. Now to present day the laxative commercials are on all the time. I think it has always been the same just different cures and less open talk about the subject???

The 'landscape' for the advertisements changed quite dramatically in early 1999, when the Food and Drug Administration banned the ingredients used in most laxatives. This caused many product to simply be discontinued, the others were reformulated to meet the FDA requirements. The end result is that many of the brands that were for sale 25 years ago, no longer exist. Their active ingredients were banned, and the owners of the products decided it wasn't worth the costs of a complete retooling of both the manufacturing facilities and the brand itself. When the brands went away, the advertising for them went away as well.

I don't know if constipation was more common during the "golden age" but I do think enemas were a more common cure. Most homes had a bulb syringe or an enema bag and they were put to good use. Enemas were an acceptable treatment to move stubborn bowels.

With the advent of fast food I would think that constipation was less of a problem in the golden years because I think folks got more fruit to eat. Now it is Taco Bell or McDonalds.

I do think the enema was a lot more common then though and parents probably kept track a little better too. Now with computers and cell phones and pizza there is much less incentive to go out and get some exercise.

With the advent of fast food I would think that constipation was less of a problem in the golden years because I think folks got more fruit to eat. Now it is Taco Bell or McDonalds.

I think back in the golden years a lot more parents diagnosed their kids with constipation than were actually constipated!

When my siblings and I we were kids in the 50’s, we got enemas for constipation, being sick in bed, moody, having a tummy ache, or a bad temper. The root cause of our constipation was holding back. We hated using the restroom at school to poop, hence we held back until we got home to go. If mom or grandma suspected we were constipated, we got called to the bathroom too get checked. In the bathroom we had to remove our pants and underwear, then lay down across their lap. Once across their lap, we got a Vaseline covered finger inserted as far as it would go in our rectum. Then they would move it back and forth an around for fifteen or twenty seconds before removing it. If found constipated, we received a soapy then a rinse enema. With mom, all three of us got an enema, even if only one was constipated. However, with grandma it was a different story, with her, it was one on one in the privacy of her bathroom. She differed from mom in one other respect, if she found the one she was checking not constipated, she would offer a warm rinse enema anyway. It was entirely up to us if we accepted or not. Most of the time we accepted the offer, but there were times when we didn’t.

Another thing I need to mention, once we were in our teens, McDonalds was one of our favorite places, because you could get a Cheeseburger, French Fries, and Coke or Milkshake for fifty cents or less. If this added to our constipation is hard to say, because as teenagers, we were responsible for ourselves in the enema department. Giving each other enemas a couple of times a week. So, if it was an issue, it would have been masked by the number and frequency of our enemas.

As to the question, was there more constipation in the “Golden Age” or “Now” is hard to say. Personally, I think the issue runs in families. My siblings an I had the issue, as did my two kids. And like my two kids, my brothers three kids had it, as well as his daughters two kids.

Constipation was more common in your mom, aunt, and grandmother's mind. I don’t think it’s any different today with all the laxative commercials on TV.

Constipation was more common in your mom,aunt and grandmother's mind I don’t think it’s any different today with all the laxative commercials on TV.

True. They even have the Fleet glycerin mini enemas on mainstream TV

I think constipation is more common today than in the past because of poor eating habits but most people today resort to laxatives or fiber supplements. Maybe some resort to the disposable saline enema, such as the Fleet, but not many make the “old fashioned enema “ their first choice.

I think constipation is more common today than in the past because of poor eating habits but most people today resort to laxatives or fiber supplements.

Remember: A large amount of fiber in the nutrition may be the cause of a severe form of a constipation for this one will block the large intestine.

I think constipation is more common today than in the past because of poor eating habits but most people today resort to laxatives or fiber supplements. Maybe some resort to the disposable saline enema, such as the Fleet, but not many make the “old fashioned enema “ their first choice.

The quick fix is more convenient for people. With a pill one does not have to stop what they are doing in their busy life. The reaction to ease the constipation may not be as quick or “violent” as with the use of an enema. One is also not needing to be violated with a nozzle in an area many consider a no go area.

As a kid, in my neighborhood, when we went to school there were lots of enema-related discussions. It wasn't as hidden as it has been more recently. Of course, I was in school early in the 50s and 60s so perhaps things have changed.

As I have related elsewhere in these pages, mothers could and would give enemas for a wide variety of things, not just constipation. As kids, we ate a lot of fruit from local trees, and sometimes that backed you up. The food in the schools, when you did not take the brown bag from home was terrible and the heavy grease used then for cooking did not help much. Enemas were very common.

Other side of the landscape, though, there was a lot more talk among the kids, boys and girls, about enemas and their bodily functions. I remember sitting in the high school cafeteria one day a table away from a bunch of teenage girls who were having a lively discussion on enemas, how they felt, what it took to get a mother to give one, and among the giggles, who was giving them to each other.

Illness, at least in my home, was a time of torture. You stayed home and you got your first enema --large, hot, soapy, just after everyone left for work/school, and another in early afternoon. Part of the evening discussion at the dinner table was how well they worked. You got them every day until you went back to school, and the other kids in the family all wanted to hear about them. We didn't have aunts and grandmothers to do the job--that was mom – the enema queen's job and she did it with gusto.

I think the reason I was always getting constipated is that I didn't like going at school because there were no doors on the stalls and the older kids would stand there watching and making fun of me. The other restroom had didn't even have stalls. I couldn't do it in that environment. Went in the military whe I was 18 and that hangup went out the window.