Dr Gerald Sacks, MD, Pain Institute of Santa Monica, explains the role of lifestyle modifications and over-the-counter products to prevent OIC in patients. Emphasizing physical activity, he shares that even the patients on ventilator need it. Physical activity is the key to the overall health of the body but also for having a regular bowel movement.

There are various over-the-counter medications that are used to address and treat OIC. If nothing works, a patient can go to the emergency department for a manual disimpaction. However, it should be avoided as it is an unpleasant experience for both patient as well as health care professional. Thus, while prescribing the opioids, Dr Gerald Sacks explains, it is best to educate patients on how to prevent the adverse effects. They can recommend a stool softener or a combination of stool softener and laxative to help patients with OIC.

Sometimes, patients still have OIC even after taking a stool softener, a laxative, a suppository, or another laxative. Dr Sacks states that such patients should be prescribed the peripherally acting µ-opioid receptor antagonists. These block blocks µ receptor as more of a strategic and pinpoint treatment, taking care of the ideology.

About Dr Gerald Sacks

Pertaining to the accomplishments Dr Gerald Sacks has made so far, he completed a residency in anesthesiology and critical care at the University of Chicago and was a resident in orthopedic surgery at Emory University Affiliated Hospitals in Atlanta.