Constipation Treatment

Constipation Treatment

Constipation has various etiologies and encompasses three subtypes: dyssynergic defecation, irritable bowel syndrome, and slow transit constipation.

At Health and Performance International in NYC, we treat dyssynergic defecation (DD), also named pelvic floor dyssynergia. While trying to evacuate, people suffering from DD demonstrate impaired coordination between the muscles of their abdomen, anus, rectum, and pelvic floor. They demonstrate difficulties relaxing the muscles of their rectum and anal sphincters while contracting their abdominals, or impaired contraction of their abdominal to propel stool while trying to relax their pelvic floor muscles.

Numerous studies have shown that biofeedback instruments and training are a powerful tool to assist people suffering from DD. Biofeedback helps DD sufferers to learn muscle relaxation, proper muscle contraction, and muscle group coordination. It also allows people to train while simulating defecation.

Treatments at Health and Performance International in New York City
We provide general relaxation, visualization or guided imagery, SEMG biofeedback (electrodes recording muscle activity of your abdominal muscles and/or anal sphincter), which will allow computerization of this muscle activity by a device that provides visual and auditory feedback. This feedback will allow you to control your muscle activity to regain normal anal evacuation. Our success rate is 99 percent.

We recommend reading a comprehensive study by William E. Whitehead and a team of researchers demonstrating that biofeedback has a superior effect than laxatives. We also suggest you read the excellent article summarizing a research study about Biofeedback and DD: “Randomized Controlled Trial of Biofeedback, Sham Feedback, and Standard Therapy for Dyssynergic Defecation” by Kara Seaton.