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Constipation
Lactulose vs Miralax: What’s the Difference?
Lactulose and Miralax (polyethylene glycol 3350) are both osmotic laxatives that draw water into the bowel to soften stool. For chronic constipation, the evidence favors Miralax: a Cochrane review found polyethylene glycol better than lactulose for stool frequency, stool form, and pain relief, and the 2023 AGA-ACG guideline strongly recommends it. Lactulose is a prescription option, and gas and bloating are its most common side effects.
Constipation
Amitiza vs Linzess: Differences and How to Choose
Amitiza (lubiprostone) and Linzess (linaclotide) are both prescription medications that increase fluid in the intestine to treat chronic constipation, but they differ in approved conditions and side effects. Amitiza is also approved for opioid-induced constipation, and its most common side effect is nausea. Linzess’s is diarrhea. No head-to-head trial has directly compared them, and indirect comparisons show similar efficacy for chronic constipation.
Anorectal Care
Anusol vs Preparation H: What’s the Difference?
Preparation H is over the counter and built on phenylephrine. Anusol-HC is a prescription steroid. See how they differ.
Anorectal Care
Diltiazem vs Nitroglycerin vs Nifedipine Compared
Diltiazem, nitroglycerin, and nifedipine all relax the internal anal sphincter, which helps chronic anal fissures heal and ease hemorrhoid pain when sphincter spasm is involved. They differ mainly in tolerability: nitroglycerin causes headaches far more often, while diltiazem and nifedipine are easier to tolerate.
Anorectal Care
Rectal Pain: Common Causes and How to Get Relief
Pain in your rectum or anus can stop you in your tracks, and it’s always distressing when you don’t know exactly what’s going on. The good news is that most rectal pain comes from common, treatable conditions, not anything scary. The fastest way to figure out what’s going on is to pay attention to how […]
Anorectal Care
Levator Ani Syndrome: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment
Some rectal pain is sharp and gone in seconds. Levator ani syndrome is usually the opposite: a dull, nagging ache or pressure deep in your rectum that can hang around for hours or days, often getting worse the longer you sit. It’s uncomfortable to talk about and easy to mistake for something else. But it’s […]
Anorectal Care
Proctalgia Fugax Treatment: Fast Relief and What Works
If you’ve ever been jolted awake by a sudden, stabbing pain in your rectum, you already know the first question: how do I make this stop? That pain is likely proctalgia fugax, a short, sharp spasm of the muscles around your anus. There isn’t one definitive treatment. episodes pass on their own within seconds to […]
Anorectal Care
Proctalgia Fugax: What’s Behind That Sudden, Sharp Pain in Your Rectum
You’re drifting off to sleep, or just sitting on the couch, when out of nowhere it feels like a cramp, or a knife, deep in your butt. You freeze. You wonder if something is very wrong. And then, a few seconds or minutes later, it’s gone like it never happened. If that sounds familiar, you’re […]
Pelvic Floor
Pelvic Floor Therapy for Pregnancy & Postpartum: How It Works & When to Start
When it comes to pregnancy and childbirth, it’s easy to focus on your uterus, cervix, and vaginal canal…but your pelvic floor deserves just as much attention. Your pelvic floor is involved in issues such as bladder leaks, constipation, back pain, and hemorrhoids (yes, even hemorrhoids!). Without the right care, these are all common symptoms during […]
Constipation
Ozempic and Hemorrhoids: What’s the Connection?
Ozempic doesn't cause hemorrhoids directly, but the constipation it causes can. Learn how straining leads to hemorrhoids and fissures, and what helps.
Constipation
Semaglutide Constipation: Why Wegovy and Ozempic Cause It
Same drug, different doses. Wegovy causes constipation far more often than Ozempic. Learn why, how long it lasts, and what actually helps.
Constipation
Mounjaro Constipation: Why It Happens and How to Manage It
Mounjaro can slow digestion enough to cause constipation. Learn why it happens, how Zepbound compares, and what actually helps.