Bowel Prep Harder on Women Than Men
Nov. 17 -- SUNDAY, Nov. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Women may have a harder time prepping for colonoscopy than men, a new study suggests.
Patients must empty their colon to increase the rate of success in the procedure, in which a doctor uses a flexible camera to search for polyps or lesions along the entire length of the colon. This poses problems for women, who are more likely to suffer constipation and/or irritable bowel syndrome, which can cause gas, bloating, and abdominal pain or spasm, according to a report in the November issue of Harvard Women's Health Watch.
To help, the publication suggests:
More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about screening methods for colon cancer.
SOURCE: Harvard Health Publications, news release, November 2008