How to Prevent Impacted Stools
Many conditions can cause a person to become constipated. These conditions may be heightened when engaging in wilderness activities. Avoid constipation to prevent the more serious condition of impacted stool.
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Things You'll Need
- Evacuation Plan
- Wilderness First Aid Classes
- Dried Fruits
- Fruits
- Milk Of Magnesia
- First Aid Kits
- Laxatives
- Stool Softeners
- Evacuation Insurance
Instructions
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Hydrate well by drinking at least 2 quarts of water per day.
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Avoid starch and meats if you start to experience symptoms of constipation.
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Eat plenty of fruits, leafy vegetables, bran and high-fiber cereals. Dried fruits such as apricots, dates and prunes are a great way to get fiber while backpacking.
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Encourage regular bowel rhythms by eating meals as regularly as possible.
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Find a place to squat daily to encourage a bowel movement, even if you don't feel you need to defecate. Many people become constipated when backpacking because they want to avoid defecating in the wilderness.
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Pay attention to how frequently you have bowel movements when backpacking. If you have gone several days without defecating you may be in danger of fecal impaction.
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Treat constipation aggressively if it has gone on for four or five days or longer. Administer a stool softener, laxative, or milk of magnesia. (See "How to Treat An Impacted Stool.")
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Tips & Warnings
Fecal impaction is a potentially dangerous condition requiring aggressive intervention in order to eliminate the feces. Prevention is key - catching fecal impaction too late can require surgery.
Evacuate immediately if a person has not defecated in 6 or 7 days or has a distended abdomen. He or she will require the help of a trained medical professional to remove the stool.
This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.
