Constipation – costiveness:

Description of disorder
Stools less frequent than natural, with hard excrement and difficult evacuation generally a mere symptom characterizing a more general disease, and frequently resulting from sedentary habits, indigestible food, the use of aperients, inaction of the liver, or weakness of the bowels caused by a general derangement of the digestive organs.
Constipation in general

Medicinal treatment:
Bryonia alba
Is useful in cases arising from a sedentary life or occurring in warm weather, or in rheumatic persons; or when occasioned by a disordered stomach, with chilliness and headache.
Dose.-Two drops in a tablespoonful of water every night and morning – a dessertspoonful for a child.
Collinsonia canadensis
When associated with obstinate and chronic piles.
Dose. -As Bryonia.
Hydrastis canadensis
Is a most valuable remedy in simple cases, or when accompanied by piles.
Dose. -Two drops, as Bryonia.
Mercurius solubilis
If there is a bitter taste in the mouth, but no loss of appetite, or if the evacuations are lumpy, or are passed in one solid ball, dark-coloured, dry, or covered with mucus.
Dose. -Two grains, followed by a mouthful of water, three times a day.
Nux vomica
Is one of the most important medicines in constipation, either recent or chronic, arising from a sedentary life, dissipation, derangement of the stomach, too hearty meals, etc.; especially if there is an ineffectual desire to evacuate the bowels.
Dose. -As Bryonia, or may be advantageously alternated with Sulphur-Nux at night, Sulphur in the morning.
Opium
In cases of sudden constipation from inactivity of the bowels, torpor, or a want of nervous energy.
Dose. -As Bryonia, or may be taken three times a day.
Podophyllum peltatum
With hard, dry, difficult stools, offensive breath, and other bilious symptoms. See Biliousness in general.
Dose. -Three drops as Bryonia.
Sulphur
In most case of constipation, either alone or taken in alternation with one of the above medicines.
Dose. -Two grains repeated as Nux Vomica.
Accessory treatment
The bowels should be solicited at regular time every day, even if there is no action; active exercise must be taken in the open air, and daily friction used over the stomach and bowels with the hand or flesh brush. A cold bath, either sitz or shower, or pouring cold water over the abdomen, should be used every morning, together with the employment of a coarse towel or flesh glove.
Diet
A change of diet will generally prove beneficial, and care must be taken not to eat too much at a meal, and to let what is partaken of be simple, easy of digestion, and consisting more of vegetable than animal food – brown bread, barley bread, wholesome ripe fruit, baked pears or apples; avoiding salted meats, cheese, rice, highly-seasoned dishes, and the like. Cold spring water should be freely partaken of on rising in the morning, and between each meal, but very little liquid should be taken at meals. See Indigestion.

Chronic constipation:
Medicinal treatment:
Calcarea carbonica
May be used after Nux and Sulphur, if no effect has been produced.
Dose. -Two grains once or twice a day, dry on the tongue.
Nux vomica
See Constipation in General.
Sulphur
In most cases of habitual costiveness.
Dose. -Two grains in a dessertspoonful of water once or twice a day, or alternately with Nux Vomica.
Accessory treatment
See under Constipation in General. -The means to relieve should be persevered in as long as possible without having recourse to purgative medicines; and if the costiveness produces much inconvenience, it is best to administer injections of warm water or thin gruel. A teaspoonful of pure glycerine injected with an ordinary glycerine syringe will often give relief.

Constipation of infants:
(Constipation in infants is frequently dependent upon the mother or nurse, and may be corrected by an alteration in her diet; or it may arise from the too early use of meat and solid food).
Medicinal treatment
Bryonia alba
When the stool is hard and tough, or large-sized and passed with difficulty.
Dose. -Four drops mixed with four teaspoonfuls of water, and a teaspoonful given night and morning.
Nux vomica
If it arises from great inactivity of the bowels, or there is anxious ineffectual urging to stool.
Dose. -As Bryonia.
Opium
In cases of sudden constipation, or if arising from torpor or inactivity of the bowels.
Dose. -As Bryonia, or repeated every four hours.
Accessory treatment
A complete and frequent change of food, and using more water in the preparation of it, together with daily friction over the abdomen, will generally remove this condition.

Constipation during pregnancy:
Symptoms
Constipation is almost a natural consequence of pregnancy, especially towards the end of the time, but if it continues too long, the appetite is lost, digestion becomes difficult, restlessness and sleeplessness occur, and danger may be experienced from the straining during stool.

Medicinal treatment
Bryonia alba
May be employed after Nux, if that remedy is not sufficient.
Dose. -Two drops in a tablespoonful of water every six hours.
Nux vomica
Should be first administered.
Dose.- As Bryonia.
Opium
Is in some cases useful. -See under Constipation in General.
Sepia officinalis
Is a most valuable remedy in constipation during pregnancy, and will frequently succeed in removing it when the other medicines fail.
Dose. -Two grains repeated as Bryonia.
Accessory treatment
A change of diet, more vegetables and fruit, exercise in the open air, and plenty of fresh water after rising in the morning, and two or three times during the day, are generally sufficient to bring about a cure. -See Pregnancy.

Constipation during teething :
Medicinal treatment
Bryonia, Nux vomica Should be given in the same way as stated under Constipation of Infants.
Accessory treatment
See under Constipation of Infants.