The effect of abdominal heat therapy on constipation

Abstract

Background: Constipation is one of the most common complications of the digestive system and has a significant impact on people's health and quality of life. One of the proposed non-drug interventions is the use of heat therapy. This study aimed to determine the effect of abdominal heat therapy on constipation. Aims: To identify if the use of heat therapy reduces constipation in elderly people admitted to the general internal medicine department. Methods: This study employs a triple-blind clinical trial design. A total of 92 elderly patients admitted to the internal medicine department of Sinai Hospital in Arak City in 2023 were randomly assigned to either a control or intervention group. Patients in the intervention group received local heat therapy using a standard hot water bottle with a temperature of 50°C applied to the abdomen. The control group received a hot water bottle at a temperature of 25°C. Data collection tools included the Bristol Stool Form Scale and a demographic data sheet. Analysis was conducted using SPSS 16. Results: The results showed that stool consistency was similar between the interventional and control groups before applying the hot water bag to the abdomen. A significant difference was observed on the first day (P=0.001) and the second day (P=0.005). There was a significant difference in stool consistency before the intervention, on day 1 and day 2 (P<0.001), but most people in the control group had no defecation. Conclusions: Local heat therapy improves bowel function and reduces constipation during defecation in the elderly, and its use is suggested at the same time as complementary studies.