Mineral Oil for Constipation

Mineral Oil for Constipation

Mineral oil is a lubricant laxative. It coats the bowel with a waterproof film that keeps water in the stool. The additional fluid in stool helps it slide through intestine.

Mineral oil is the primary ingredient in Haley�s MO. It�s also found in products for treating hemorrhoids, diaper rash, in laxatives, and in preparations for removing eye makeup. Mineral oil�s chemistry allows it to be combined with older style antacids made with aluminum.

Mineral oil for constipation is a safe and effective remedy, but it�s also easy to use too much. There are also situations when the uses for mineral oil or any other laxative are very limited.

In general, you should not take any kind of laxative if you have any symptoms of appendicitis or inflammatory bowel disease. That is, you should not take laxatives when there is abdominal pain, bloating, cramping, nausea, vomiting, or soreness.

Mineral oil is considered an essentially nontoxic remedy. If you take a great deal more, perhaps 10 times, the recommended dosage, you could experience drowsiness.

A very large overdose could also lead to constipation, and since mineral oil acts by keeping water in the stool and out of the bloodstream, you could become dehydrated. Most of the time, the first sign of dehydration is unusually dark urine.

The remedy? It�s simple. Stop taking mineral oil, and drink extra water.

When dehydration is severe, the use of mineral oil is typically only one of many factors. Other signs of dehydration are a dry or sticky mouth, sunken eyes, and in infants, a markedly sunken fontanelle, the soft spot on the top of the head. If you see signs of dehydration in an infant, offer the child water and seek medical attention at once.

Are there dietary dangers of mineral oil? The medical literature identifies just one.

The digestive tract of a child who receives mineral oil can absorb the vitamin A found in dairy products and fish but they cannot absorb the beta-carotene found in dark green leafy vegetables, pumpkins, squash, carrots, and oranges. Children who are given mineral oil should also be given milk.

There are no reports in the medical literature of adults who have experienced any kind of nutritional deficiency just because they used mineral oil.

Don�t let the long list of precautions deter you from using mineral oil. It�s an inexpensive and effective remedy you can store in your medicine cabinet for years without deterioration. Just be sure to use mineral oil at the right time and in the right dosage.