# Info on digital stimulation??



## karoe (Sep 22, 1999)

Was reading a medical website on re-training the bowel, and one section dealt with relieving a constipated patient by using digital stimulation. A gloved, lubricated finger is insertered into the rectum, and then if some band/sphicter/whatever is held open by the finger for about a minute, it stimulates a defecation response from the walls of....the intestine. Has anyone, heard of this, experienced it, or tried it on themselves? You know that feeling where you feel like you could go (pressure) but nothing moves??? This could be an emergency solution, except I read in another article that it's dangerous. What about it could be dangerous?Sorry for being gross. Any help appreciated


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## boomboomroom (Jan 27, 2004)

Or you could stick a vibrator in your butt, might accomplish the same thing????


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## KLG (Jul 8, 2002)

I'm not sure how that would work. Wouldn't putting a goved finger be the same as when you have to go and its right there, but you just can't? It sounds as though you are tricking the bowel into thinking that it needs to start contracting to relieve the bowels, but I don't know. Wouldn't stool itself do this?


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## HereIam (Mar 1, 2001)

Digital Stimulation is most often used on patients who are extremely compromised--paralyzed, comatose, demented, etc., it's not for healthy individuals.


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## karoe (Sep 22, 1999)

Following on my original message, I guess what else I needed to say was, in studying the entire defecation process, movement, signals, nerves etc. I came upon a procedure which seemed to say that if you hold open a certain muscle the right way for a little while, it will stimulate evacuation. Yes, stool would do it if it was there in the right place, but what if the stool was not formed enough or hard enough to do the pushing???? Don't tell me no one else has ever had this problem. Digital Stim only for extremely compromised...not for healthy--- okay, that'e what I read, but why?? If you have ever had the feeling that you wanted to go but just couldn't (and perhaps you were EXTREMELY uncomfortable being in this state) wouldn't 30 seconds of a gloved finger solve your problem? While we are at it, is there anyone out there for whom suppositories do not work, like me? I laff at suppositories.


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## Tiss (Aug 22, 2000)

I hate suppositories. They make me cramp something terrible. The digital stimulation thing is sort of interesting. I have a rectal prolapse and my ob/gyn told me to insert a finger into the vagina to get things moving for a BM. I tried it and it did not work for me however I think digital stimulation in the rectum is different. I would like to know why too.


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## HereIam (Mar 1, 2001)

I'm not entirely sure, but I believe it's not used on healthy individuals because it can eventually cause your natural impulse to shut down completely by either overstimulating or damaging the nerves.


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## booboo74 (Feb 22, 2004)

Considering that people stick stuff in their butts for sexual purposes all the time, I don't see why it'd be a big deal if you wanted to make it work. I hate to admit it, but I myself have to stoop to the vaginal method all the time. I hate to do it, but after about a week of nothing happening and your pants getting tighter and tighter, you get desperate. I don't think I'd try the anal method just cuz it'd be too messy and might hurt or something, But if you can feel a big hard lump through your vaginal wall, and it won't come out for weeks, I say push it out. Sometimes that also loosens things up so the rest will come out by itself. Didn't mean to be so gross, but it has helped me go to work alot of days when I thought I couldn't stand to be in public cuz my gut was sticking out and rock hard, my pants were tight, and it hurt to move.....


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## jeanne m (Feb 9, 2004)

Cant remember where I read it- but the suggestion that if a suppository wasnt available it was OK to either use a piece of soap shapped like one- or your finger coated with soap. I have used the latter method a few times- and this was prior to being diagnosed with IBS- was just constipated (a life long problem for me) I know - its gross, but in desperation what else is there?


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## essex (Apr 8, 2003)

Wouldn't putting soap in there irritate? Wouldn't a lubricant like KY be better?


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## HeatherEve (Feb 26, 2004)

Um, i have a rather embarrassing related question. Herelam mentioned overstimulation and damaging of the nerves in relation to digital manipulation....can occasional anal intercouse have the same effect?


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